Showing posts with label Nikhat Hegde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikhat Hegde. Show all posts
When a person like Amitabh Bachchan backed me to do it, I became confident-Aamir Khan
8:34 AM
As Aamir Khan bypasses OTT giants to release Sitaare Zameen Par only in theatres, he opens up on how Amitabh Bachchan gave him confidence when no one else supported his decision
Priyanka Sharma, Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 7, 2025)
At one point in our interview, Aamir Khan candidly says, “I’m not known for my practicality.” We’d disagree. After all, the actor and producer is one of the sharpest business minds in the Indian film industry. That explains why the industry is looking to him as he tries what could well be a gamble with his upcoming release, Sitaare Zameen Par.
Khan has announced that the slice-of-life film, directed by R S Prasanna, won’t be available on OTT after its theatrical release, defying the current business model of the industry.
To some, it’s a risky move. To him, it’s a matter of loyalty. “I’m a loyalist of cinema. I have reached here because of theatres, and I won’t turn my back on them. Secondly, I have faith in my audience. We keep saying that the audience doesn’t come to theatres. It’s common sense that I cannot sell the same thing twice. That’s why I am coming only in theatres,” explains Khan, while also refuting rumours that he is opting for a pay-per-view model on YouTube for the film.
Making the unusual decision was admittedly scary. Scarier even was that no one in the industry endorsed the move. The superstar recalls, “Some of my friends said that I was taking too big a risk. I was in a dilemma because, of course, I also get scared.”
But one person showed faith in him, when nobody else did. “One person put me on the track — Mr [Amitabh] Bachchan. During a dinner at his house, I told him my problem. He said, ‘You always take risks. You are known to be a risk taker. You should do it.’ When a person like Amit ji backed me to do it, I became confident. The next day, I told my team, ‘Amit ji has told us. We are not releasing anywhere, only in theatres.’”
The superstar knows that with Sitaare Zameen Par — which also stars Genelia Deshmukh, and tells a heartfelt story of how 10 neuro-divergent kids inspire an ill-mannered basketball coach to change for the better — he is changing the norms of the industry. But he insists he is doing what feels right to him.
Khan says, “No production house is green-lighting a film until you pre-sell it digitally. So, you’ve shown that you won’t make a film without OTT. I’ve made it clear that I won’t make a film with OTT. I have no problem with streamers, but I don’t think it’s logical that a film streams so soon after its release. Show my film on OTT after six months, I won’t mind it. But OTT platforms told me, ‘If you are not streaming it within eight weeks of release, then we don’t want it.’ I said no to that. I’m losing a lot of money. If a film of mine without presale from OTT doesn’t do well in theatres, I’m finished.”
The question then is: How did streamers become so powerful to dictate the business in Bollywood? “We’ve taken the wrong step. We are responsible,” admits Khan.
Now, as he is hoping to undo the practice, the actor believes he couldn’t have asked for a better film. He remembers being touched by the story — an adaptation of the Spanish film, Campeones (2018) — when Prasanna approached him with it in 2022. The actor’s only hesitation was that the character of Gulshan, a politically incorrect guy, was far from him.
“I told R S Prasanna that the character is politically incorrect, rude, and arrogant. There are a lot of people in the industry who will suit him. Why don’t we go to them? I even suggested the name,” he laughs. But the director was clear that he wanted Khan in the role, and the superstar agreed.
Khan’s excitement regarding the film, however, turned into desolation after Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) tanked at the box office within days of its release. “When Laal Singh didn’t do well, I was heartbroken. We were to start Sitaare… I called Prasanna and said, ‘I am in depression. How will I work in depression? I won’t be able to do it. I don’t want to leave the house right now. My crying hasn’t ended yet.’ I told him to make it with someone else,” recounts the actor. Prasanna respected his wishes, and chose two actors to lead the film that was to be made in two languages, at that time.
Khan reveals, “We finalised Farhan Akhtar for Hindi and Sivakarthikeyan for the Tamil version. Dates were locked.” However, just before going into prep, the superstar started having a change of heart. “In that one week [of fine-tuning the script], as Divy Nidhi Sharma [writer] was reading it, I suddenly felt, ‘Why am I not doing this film? It’s such a good script.’ As the week ended, I told them how I was feeling. I said that of course, nothing could be done as the bullet had left the gun.”
While Prasanna was happy to know that Khan, his first choice, wished to lead the film, he requested the superstar to talk to Akhtar and Sivakarthikeyan. After much pressure from his collaborators, when Khan spoke to the two actors, they were graceful about the turn of events. He remembers, “Farhan was disappointed. He really loved the role, but he understood. Sivakarthikeyan said, ‘Why are you saying sorry, sir? Please do the film. It’s yours.’”
Did you know?
Aamir Khan’s mother Zeenat Hussain and sister Nikhat Hegde have cameos in Sitaare Zameen Par. When Hussain visited the movie set one day, director R S Prasanna decided to cast her in the title song that plays at the end of the film. Hegde features in another scene.
Gauri Spratt bahut achchi insaan hain, says Aamir Khan’s sister Nikhat Hegde
3:18 PM
Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan’s sister Nikhat Hegde says that the family is very happy that he has found joy with his new girlfriend Gauri Spratt
HINDUSTAN TIMES (March 22, 2025)
Days after actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan introduced the media to his girlfriend Gauri Spratt, his sister, Nikhat Hegde, has opened up about the family’s reaction.
“Hum log bahut khush hain Aamir ke liye aur Gauri ke liye bhi, kyunki woh bahut hi achchi insaan hain, aur hum bahut chahte hain ki yeh log dono khush rahein hamesha,” she told Times Applaud Trends on Thursday during the trailer launch of her Malayalam film L2: Empuraan in Mumbai.
Aamir introduced Gauri to media persons during a meet-and-greet ahead of his 60th birthday on March 14.
He also revealed that they have been dating for 18 months and are currently living together in Mumbai. Gauri, who hails from Bengaluru, confirmed that she works at his production house.
As Aamir Khan turns 51, the women in his life share some precious memories
8:22 AM
As Khan turns 51 today, the women in his life share some precious memories
Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; March 14, 2016)
Aamir Khan will ring in his 51st birthday today,
amidst his family and close friends. A perfect time to get to know
Aamir, the family man. Here his wife Kiran and sisters Farhat, Nikhat
and Nuzhat share their thoughts on the superstar and the real Aamir...
He is a die-hard romantic: Kiran Rao
Aamir at home and as a husband is exactly the way he is as a person in general — loving, honest and always giving as much of himself as he can. He’s a die-hard romantic, completely romance novel style! Sadly, for him I’m not, so he has to work doubly hard to make up for me! As a couple even during his shoots we try to steal time together, going on dinner dates and watching a movie together on the nights before a day off. But it’s hard to get enough time together, and we are often apart for months. He’s also incredibly loving, and what he did for my 40th birthday is any woman’s dream come true. He values his family above everything, and is always concerned for our happiness. He really enjoys being around the family and spending time with his kids, his mother and his siblings, and for him that’s when he’s most relaxed and happy.
He is a die-hard romantic: Kiran Rao
Aamir at home and as a husband is exactly the way he is as a person in general — loving, honest and always giving as much of himself as he can. He’s a die-hard romantic, completely romance novel style! Sadly, for him I’m not, so he has to work doubly hard to make up for me! As a couple even during his shoots we try to steal time together, going on dinner dates and watching a movie together on the nights before a day off. But it’s hard to get enough time together, and we are often apart for months. He’s also incredibly loving, and what he did for my 40th birthday is any woman’s dream come true. He values his family above everything, and is always concerned for our happiness. He really enjoys being around the family and spending time with his kids, his mother and his siblings, and for him that’s when he’s most relaxed and happy.
He bossed me around: Farhat Datta
We
had a regular brother-sister relationship. He was a big prankster and
bossed me around as I was the youngest. But he helped me with studies
coaching me in French and Math. He was an avid reader so I got inspired
to read. I don’t think he has changed much. He can still be as annoying a
brother as he used to be and as loving. His most endearing quality to
me is that he shows his emotions unabashedly.
I was spared from his pranks: Nikhat Hegde It is difficult to talk or write about your brother and when it happens to be a celebrity brother it gets even more difficult. Nevertheless, I will try. I am Aamir’s elder sister. Unlike my younger sister Farhat and brother Faisal, who Aamir bullied regularly by using the ‘I am elder’ line, I was spared of all that. I don’t know if it was solely due to me being elder, or because I was a very quiet, docile, and non-interfering.
Last year on his 50th birthday we were all together at Lonavala. Aamir had just begun dunking people into the swimming pool. Blissfully unaware of all this, ammi, Farhat and I decided to go and meet Aamir. We were told he is at the poolside. We were walking down, me holding ammi’s hand walking a little behind Farhat. What I saw was Aamir coming out of the pool. I assumed that he had seen ammi and was coming out to meet her. Farhat hugged him and wished him and the next thing I saw — Aamir was taking Farhat into the pool with him and she was saying, ‘Aamir no, I’m not going into the water.’ Before she knew it she was in the pool (I think she managed to kick off her shoes just in time). I laughed at what I saw and thought to myself, so much like the good old days, and ammi next to me was saying, ‘Dekho Aamir kya kar rahe hai! Tum nahi jana paani mein.’ Something told me that he will not do this to me. I guess it was my wishful thinking.
Ammi and I went and sat down under a tree close by, and we were laughing at what had just happened. Then we saw Aamir coming out of the pool again. He was walking towards us, and I thought he’s coming to wish ammi. He hugged her and then turned to me. I wished him, and he softly said, ‘Are you going to come in readily, or will I have to force you?’ With me it’s always been a little different.
Aamir has always had a playful, fun side to him, a good sense of humour. But he has always been very meticulous, always wanted his things, his drawer, his shoes etc to be neat and in order. While growing up, if we took a pen or paper from his drawer without asking him he didn’t like it at all, or his books (his prized possessions). Worse was when we didn’t put it back from where we took it or misplaced it. He is a stickler for certain things and very easy going with other things. I think for his personal values and principles, he is a stickler. But in other things, he is the most easy going person. Very open to reason and looking at things from your perspective before drawing conclusions. He is very forgiving too and will not hold things in his heart once he has seen sense. He will apologise easily if he feels he has made a mistake. He is very emotional, caring and generous.
I remember an incident where as a kid he gave all his savings to his French tuition teacher because he felt she was falling short of money. Once he was collecting money from all of us for a friend of his who needed to go abroad.
Though we had a very strict and protected upbringing, we grew up kind of rebellious. I knew I could confide in him and he will not betray my trust. Like once without letting my parents know, I agreed to do a small part as replacement for just one show in a play to be performed at Prithvi Theatre. I did not have the courage to tell my parents that I will be on stage as they would never have allowed it and I was dying to do it. I confided to Aamir and Faisal. We said we were going to see the play and I got permission to go with them. He never spilled the beans to my parents. Even when I went through a bad patch in my life, which happened a couple of times, Aamir stood like a solid rock behind me. He has been a great pillar of strength. I must say I have been very fortunate to have Aamir as my brother. Though I am older, he has been like an elder brother.
His being successful as an actor has of course been a great source of happiness for all of us. After his success, he was very elated, but always managed to be rooted. He did not get into partying, etc. He was comfortable with his old set of friends and his family and didn’t mix his work with his family. So he remained the same. His most endearing quality is his genuineness, his simplicity, his honesty and his passion for his work. I would love it if he could spend more time with us.
May he always see the world as he does now: Nuzhat KhanMay he always have the strength to continue to work with the kind of love, passion and integrity he has always shown to whatever he has been involved with. May he always see the world as he does now. A good place worth fighting for. May he always have people who value that quality in him.
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