The man with the Midas touch
He's shunned mainstream awards, refuses to sign more than one film a year and unlike many of his contemporaries, does not dance at high-profile weddings for money.
But then, Indian superstar Aamir Khan has never played by the rules.
As Bollywood's very own man with the Midas touch, Khan's 20-year stint in the industry has seen most of his endeavours turn to gold – be it acting, film production or direction. Today, at Rs150 million (Dh12.75m) per film, the highest paid actor in India has reportedly bagged a profit-sharing royalties deal in his next Yash Raj Films production – the first of its kind in Bollywood and continues to add to his impressive list of projects and celebrity endorsements, which include some of the world's top brands.
Shying away from questions about his salary, Khan admits that like his films, he is very selective about the products he endorses.
"I need to connect with the brand on some level; it's a personal thing with me," he tells Emirates Business. "I'm also particular about the creatives being used for the advertisements. It has to be unique, and present me differently."
That strategy is probably why he's been labelled Mr Perfectionist. But for a man who is so particular about standing out, joining the celebrity endorsement club somehow doesn't sit too well with his profile. Khan sees it differently, saying: "Essentially at its core, celebrity endorsements are about earning extra money – that's one of the very reasons I do it."
His 1988 debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT), produced by uncle Nasir Hussain, turned him into an overnight sensation. Today, as he launches Hussain's grandson Imran Khan in his home production Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, the actor has come full circle.
The marketing blitzkrieg for his nephew's launch has become the talk of Bollywood: Jetting around the world for radio and television spots, making a public appearance at the recently concluded Indian Premier League cricket finale and even participating in actor Salman Khan's reality television game show 10 Ka Dum.
"The media's role in a film's promotion has changed dramatically over the years," he says, commenting on his very public appearances of late. "Two decades ago, the media was never this widespread and entertainment was never the subject of national news.
"I still remember during the promotional campaign for QSQT; we had this one chap for PR who would dutifully go out to round-up journalists willing to interview Juhi [Chawla, QSQT's leading lady] and myself. A couple of journalists finally showed up, but I doubt those interviews were printed."
Khan also reportedly went around Mumbai, personally sticking QSQT posters on the back of taxis.
"Today, marketing avenues have changed and the focus is all on creating awareness for your film in the public domain," he says. "Unfortunately, the media attention can sometimes turn into a double-edged sword because many people are adopting these different marketing techniques. To stand out from the crowd, you have to think outside the box and cut through the clutter."
Khan reveals that while Rs90m was spent on making the film, another Rs40m – almost half – was spent on marketing Jaane Tu… .
"I have full faith in the film performing well at the box office, and I never lend my name to projects that I don't firmly believe in," he says.
However, yesterday's worldwide release of Jaane Tu… may see the film face a tough battle at box office dominion as it takes on another big-budget film LoveStory2050 with debutante actor Harman Baweja. The real test will be the challenge of the Khan name to hold enough mettle in ensuring strong returns for the film.
"Thankfully, over the years all the films I have starred in opened successfully at the box office," he says. "The same trend followed when I turned producer with Lagaan (2002) and then director with Taare Zameen Par (TZP) last year. But this is the first film that I'm producing but not starring in. So I hope my name is strong enough to draw audiences."
Yet, Khan's active participation in his nephew's debut film seems a far cry from the time he shunned even giving interviews when his films Rang De Basanti and Fanaa were released a few years ago. He pauses, suddenly appearing to be deep in thought, and then admits that he was never happy taking that decision but felt at that time that he was left with no other choice.
"I am probably the only actor who hasn't ever manipulated the media for my own gain or went out of my way to only be accessible to the press just to praise my films," he says. "I think it was a phase the Indian media was going through where my name was flung around in controversies. Rather than justifying myself and mouthing off platitudes, I closed in. I guess I'm thick-skinned and an old school idealist, doing what I thought was right. But a few years later I came to realise that rather than shutting myself out, I should be a part of the media and get my point of view across."
One wonders, though, if his now infamous blog, aamirkhan.com, was a means to "be a part of the media". In November 2007, a post about Sanjay Bhansali's Black saw Khan rile actor Amitabh Bachchan by saying the film was insensitive towards children. Recently, it was the Shahrukh Khan post that set tongues wagging, where the Lagaan actor talks about a caretaker's dog who shares the same name as the rival superstar.
"The blog was part of a marketing strategy to promote the six-year rather strange delay of the DVD release of Lagaan; clearly, we decided movie pirates could have a party with this strategy," he laughs. "The Lagaan blog grew from there and as I continued to enjoy the interaction with fans, I moved to blogging random thoughts.
"The controversies are all part of a media hype. People read my posts and react differently – while the majority have enjoyed my posts, some take offence. Shahrukh is a friend and I hold him in high regard. The post was done in good humour and he is OK with it; we've even laughed over this supposed controversy."
While it is still too early to predict the box-office fate of Jaane Tu…, the hype continues and then it will be a few months of lull until his magnum opus Ghajini hits the screens in November.
The actor does not rule out the possibility of holding a world premiere in Dubai just like his directorial debut TZP in 2007.
"Who knows. Dubai is such a great city and it has given me so much love that I wouldn't miss out on an opportunity to return. The city really is very lucky for me," he says.
Lucky indeed. Following its release, TZP has gone on to sweep every possible award and won accolades for its award-shy director.
But some things never change and neither will his stance on shunning film awards. "I accept awards, just not the kind linked with film magazines," he stresses.
And that list, says the outspoken actor, includes the high-profile International Indian Film Academy awards, which has no link to a film rag. "I just don't respect them," he says.
Brand Aamir Khan
- Aamir Khan was once the face of Pepsi India. The television advertisement featuring Khan, alongside a then-unknown Aishwarya Rai and Mahima Chowdry, is remembered even today. Ironically, it wasn't long after he switched allegiances to Coca-Cola
- One of Khan's most successful endorsement deals has been with Coca-Cola India. Over the years, the creatives have seen the actor transform from a Nepali Gurkha, to a village bumpkin
- In 2004, Khan signed on as the brand ambassador for Titan watches. Incidentally, he has an emotional link with the brand, saying the first watch he had ever bought with his own earnings was a Titan in 1988, just when Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak released
- In August 2005, Toyota Kirloskar Motor signed on Khan as the face for Toyota Innova in India. However, the following year saw the Indian state of Gujarat drop ads featuring Khan when he angered people over his stand on the Narmada Dam issue, which led to his film Fanaa being banned in cinemas there
- In March 2008, Khan signed on with Samsung Telecommunications India as the new brand ambassador for their mobile phones
- In May this year, Monaco Company in India signed on Khan to endorse their sweet-and-salty biscuits, right in time to cash in on his name during the Indian Premiere League season