Rajkumar Hirani persuaded Aamir Khan to perform 3 Idiots, but how?.
In Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots, Aamir Khan recently expressed his disapproval of playing a forty-something college student. During the 2025 India Today Conclave, the actor talked about how the director persuaded him to play the part.
Ankush Pandey
HighLights
- In 3 Idiots, Aamir Khan was hesitant to play a college student at 44.
- The actor feared appearing unrealistic on screen.
- Aamir described how Rajkumar Hirani persuaded him to work on the film.
Aamir Khan discussed his early reluctance to play a college student in 3 Idiots in an open discussion. Fearing that the role would appear unrealistic on the big screen, the actor, who was over 40 at the time, acknowledged that he was hesitant to play it.
At the India Today Conclave 2025, Aamir Khan discussed how director Rajkumar Hirani was adamant about getting him on board in his presentation, Lights, Camera, Aamir: Three Decades of a Superstar. The actor recalled the factors that ultimately led him to say "yes" to the project.
"I strongly opposed doing it. I told Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) that although the story was fantastic, why did he want me in it? I am over 40! Replace it with an 18-year-old. Though I thought the script made more sense with three young actors, I still found it to be compelling. Raju, though, was determined that he wanted me. "It will look weird if I come to college with books," I told him. I'll be laughed at, and we'll become a national joke! "I was really afraid," the actor remarked.
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"We start filming tomorrow, so think it over again." I even cautioned Raju just one day prior to the shoot. It was frightening to play an 18-year-old when everyone knew I was over 40. He went on to say, "Everyone knew how long I had been in the industry."
The actor from Taare Zameen Par also talked about what convinced him to accept the role. Ultimately, Raju saw something in me that I was unable to see at the time, which is why I said yes to him. Although I had never collaborated with him previously, I have always respected him as a director. I usually follow my own instincts when selecting films and don't depend on the opinions of others. My age was my only worry, even though the script was excellent. I couldn't stop wondering why he was so determined to cast me.
I chose, for once, to have faith in someone else's vision. Raju insisted on me for one very good reason. The film's main message, "Chase excellence rather than success," resonated with him. If you strive for excellence, you will succeed. "Aamir," he said to me, "your career choices have been unbelievable." Success has never been your goal. You have produced numerous films without considering their potential for commercial success. People will believe this philosophy when you portray it on screen because you have lived it," Aamir remarked.
"Tu kaafi young lag raha hai" (You look quite young) was another way he reassured me. Lastly, I put a lot of effort into developing the character's mindset and body language. I wanted Rancho to seem inquisitive all the time, his mind working like a machine, never stagnating. I wanted the audience to understand how his mind functions through my subtleties," the superstar continued.
The actor talked candidly during the same session about his divorce from Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao, Laapataa Ladies, his failure to place in the Oscars' Top 5, Lagaan, and other topics.
Starring alongside Khan were R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi in 3 Idiots, which was a loose adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's novel Five Point Someone.
3 Idiots received a great deal of critical acclaim following its December 25, 2009, release. It was praised for its story, screenplay, soundtrack, direction, themes, humor, and cast performances.
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