Aamir Khan has returned from a US health facility much lighter; hopes to buy back his mother's ancestral home in Varanasi and learn cooking at 51
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 15, 2016)

Aamir Khan turned 51 on Monday wearing a Tee which sported a print of his youngest son's drawing and the delightful message, 'Azad loves papa'. And his only wish was to be able to buy back his mother Zeenat Hussain's ancestral home in Varanasi from the present owners so his ammi, wife Kiran, Azad and he could spend some time there revisiting her childhood memories with his mom who is now 82.

"I've never been there but I located the house when I went to Varanasi for the promotions of 3 Idiots. I'm hoping that the people who own it will agree to sell it to me. It's a great city, one of our oldest, and I would love to own a house there," insists the actor.

This birthday was very different from the elaborate weekend bash with family and friends at a resort in Khandala which Kiran had organised to bring in his 50th last year. "This one was a quiet affair. I just wanted to be with my family. It's very satisfying and fulfilling to share my special day with my partner, children and mother," admits Aamir who cut short a six-week trip in the US to bring in his birthday with his mother.

The trip was to a health facility to lose some of the 95 kg he had piled on for his upcoming biopic. "I lost 13 kg in three weeks. I still have to shed another 20 kg but I won't be returning to the US, I'll do it here on my own," he informs.

Prod him on the miraculous weight loss and he attributes it to sixseven hours of physical activity through the three-week stay. "From the time I woke up at 6 am, I was engaged in some kind of activity, be it hiking, swimming, tennis, mountain climbing, biking or training in the world class gym, with just a 30-minute to a hour-long break in between. This was supplemented with a healthy diet. My calorie intake was 1,600-1,800 calories a day and I was burning around 4,000 calories. It was a wonderful experience," he beams, admitting that he also managed to spend a few hours with his older son Junaid who is studying at the Los Angeles Film School.

Even though he didn't do any wrestling in the Promised Land, Aamir has got a grip on the gruelling sport at 50 which not only demands physical fitness, but also explosive speed, mental agility and strategy.

"And what I like best about kushti is that even though it is a contact sport where you are grappling with your opponent, hoping to get the better of him, there is no intention to hurt or harm," he reasons.

Point out that he sustained an injury on the sets last year and he argues that this was because he was carrying excess weight and had not warmed up properly. So will he do anything to promote the sport? "I'm already doing that by making a film on it," he laughs. "The fact that two films on wrestling will open this year should give a huge boost to the sport in India."

Apart from the injury did the excess weight he was carrying cause any side effects? Aamir informs that the only tangible difference was that his normal resting heart beat which is around 45-47 beats a minute, far lower than the average 70 beats a minute, had gone up by 20-30 beats when he was 95 kg. "But once I was down to 82, it's back to the 40s. That apart, my breathing pattern changed, and I was not as physically active as usual which made things a little uncomfortable," he confides.

This year apart from his film, Aamir is looking forward to addressing the water crisis in his home state Maharashtra with the Satyamev Jayate team working in the field of water conservation. "It's a serious issue and we are trying hard to contribute towards a solution," he avers, adding that Kiran and he are producing a film which will launch his former manager Adwait Chandan as a director. "He has also written the script. We are currently in pre-production. The film should go on the floor this year and no, I won't be acting in it."

Finally, every birthday, Aamir makes a resolution to learn something new. "This year I want to learn cooking from my ammi, all the dishes she makes," he smiles.
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MID-DAY (March 15, 2016)

Aamir Khan, who turned 51 on Monday, cuts a cake in the presence of mediapersons at his Carter Road residence. While addressing a press conference on the occasion, he revealed what tops his wish list — gifting his 80-year-old mother the house where she grew up in Banaras. "I had been to Benaras (a while ago), and seen the house. It’s a historical and cultural place, and if I have a house there, I would be very happy," he said.

The actor cut short his US trip and returned home just in time to celebrate the day with his mother, Zeenat Hussain. He sported a white T-shirt emblazoned with a picture drawn by his son, Azad, who was the first to wish him on his special day.

The actor took the opportunity to talk about his "intolerance" remarks for which he received brickbats last year. "Majority of the audience knows me; I have a 27-year relationship with them. People who questioned my integrity for my country were already biased towards me. So, no matter what I do, they will question. But I choose not to react. The important thing is you shouldn’t be negative. You should be positive and be aware of what you are doing. Your conscience should be clear," he waxed eloquent

Weigh to go
The star, who had beefed up for his next, Dangal, appeared much leaner than how he looked over a month ago. He plays a wrestler in the film. "I have knocked off 18 kgs over the last month. My weight now is around 80kgs,” he said, adding that he has quit smoking since January.

We are just amazed at how he gains and loses weight with such ease!