In other words he will be the sutradhar of a docu drama and roadshow of sorts. "In all my films, I have played several characters. For the first time, I am not getting under anybody's skin but being comfortable in my own." Announcing the "most ambitious project of his life" in association with the Star TV network at Taj Lands End in Mumbai today, Aamir took time off on a lazy afternoon to talk about his show which will hit early next year and simultaneously be cast in dubbed regional languages. It will be issue-based, talk about common people being the changemakers in contemporary India, inspirational, nationalistic and interactive in format. It will almost be shot real time, indoors and outdoors, but will be very fluid in format, incorporating elements from existing TV genres.
Being an Aamir Khan Productions project, the thinking actor hopes to challenge the existing limits of television, "fortunately" not knowing too much about a medium he feels is powerful but like "everything I do, take time to put my mind to." He is currently touring the length and breadth of the country to gather human stories with wife Kiran giving occasional creative inputs. While Star TV CEO Uday Shankar calls Aamir's show an "audacious commitment and initiative," the star himself played down the seriousness of purpose saying, "When I am excited, I get going."
If the marketer was at play, you wouldn't understand it. For the actor has always made a virtue of treading the road not taken and changing the rules of the game. He refused to spell out the show's USP or specifics, saying he never thought about jargon but trusted common sense. And common sense tells him that the Anna Hazare campaign has caught the public imagination and time is ripe for an Obama-like "Make the change" wave. So he wants to be the Citizen King's spokesman and like his films, wants to send a message. In casual black tees and jeans, he said entertainment was not just about gratification but about engagement. And by choosing an entire different format of discovering the real India as an enriching personal experience, he is cleverly setting himself apart from his peers and avoiding competition and comparisons at the same time.
He is giving much thought to using familiar ingredients but evolving a unique taste and paying special attention to "kaise khana paros rahe ho (how you are serving the food). I cannot label my work, fortunately or unfortunately." Like his films, he is being just as experimental, meticulous and non-compromising. "There's a certain idealism and a higher level of integrity that is coming back to society. I thought I had something to offer and found TV to be the perfect medium of expression, given its pan-India reach. So far, all shows, be it talent hunts or game shows, have been in Hindi. This time even regional channels are involved. It feels great talking to the entire country. Language should not be a barrier."
With his activist stance over the last few years coinciding with his film promotions, Aamir assured everybody about the credibility of his current campaign, saying he was doing it between two film schedules.
Unlike his film promotions, he even kept the bodyguards aside and said he would take as many questions as he could. If somebody chose to tickle him about rival Khan SRK's Ra One promotions, he didn't bite the bait, wishing him well and calling him a charming host along with Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan.
But he is doing serious research on TV. "Most of my favourites are non-celebrities. I loved Siddharth Basu's quiz show and the sports anchor AFS Talyar Khan." Again, the subtle ode to the common hero. Let's see if this pitch of an uncommon star works.
Aamir Khan's first TV show will bring real stories and emotions of people on the small screen and will be telecast in eight languages
After Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, it's Aamir Khan's turn to make his debut on the small screen. The actor will be seen in a yet-to-be titled show which he calls his "most ambitious project". The production of the show is yet to start and it will go on air next year. It is being jointly produced by Aamir Khan Productions and Star India. "This show is my most ambitious project. This began as a dream some three-four years ago. Uday (Shanker of Star) coaxed me with the idea that I should think of dominating television now. That is how the spark ignited. After that meeting I actually started thinking about it passionately," Aamir said.
"I have been offered game shows before, but I didn't find them very exciting… not that they were not good but personally doing the same thing everyday didn't excite me much. So that is how I started to think and brainstorm for an innovative concept. Moreover, I have realised in all these years that TV is a very strong and powerful medium and I should make use of this platform to reach larger audience," he added.
The show will bring real stories and emotions of people on the small screen and for the 46-year-old actor-filmmaker, it is a dream come true. "Honestly I take time to make up my mind and it's like a dream come true for me. I have been living it and breathing it during all these years," said Aamir.
Uday Shankar, CEO Star India, calls it a pan-India show. It will be telecast in eight different languages. "It's a pan-India show. The show has been woven around Aamir, it is his vision. He did not want language to act as a barrier, he said 'I want all your regional channels for this show'," Shanker said.
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