As expected,'Ghajini' has broken all box office records.Though I don't particularly go for action flicks, this time, I made a beeline for the theatre, along with the hubby , son and millions of other Indians.The reason being, of course, Aamir Khan.He has established himself as a sort of ISI mark in the movie world.We can safely shell out money in the multiplex, knowing we will get our full paisa vasool.
His career path is fascinating. He is the Howard Roark (one of the main protagonists in Ayn Rand's 'Fountainhead') of the Indian film industry.
About a decade ago, he was like any other Bollywood star,churning out several movies a year but then he put on the brakes .I remember watching an interview on Doordarshan,where he was asked about this and whether he felt insecure about money.He then replied that he did'nt live a high maintenance life and earning big money was'nt his aim in life.In fact, he lived in his parent's flat in Bandra at the time.He wanted to do work he believed in.He was only in his early thirties then, a time when economic security is a priority for most people. Success is notoriously fickle in the film industry and a few flops are enough to send a star into oblivion.So, deciding to do only one film at a time must have taken a whole lot of courage.
And see how it has paid off! He now works on his own terms and only on projects which excite him. In an industry, known for its camps and godfathers, he strikes a lonely trail.He doesn't accept awards or dance at functions, much to the chagrin of his peers. He took a break of four years after 'Lagaan', a thing unheard of, for a top star.He doesn't need to kowtow to the almighty media people.For a long time, he ignored the press as he was miffed with them for some reason and yet his films were blockbusters.Even his promotion for 'Taare Zameen Par' was much more low key than other big releases like 'Om Shanti Om' etc but the film did great business on sheer word of mouth. He has turned all Bollywood norms on their head and yet he rules the box office.
His hair styles promote and build up anticipation for his movies, months before they release. This again, is possible, only because he does one film at a time.
From what I read in newspaper reports, he is making an enormous lot of money too. He takes a percentage of the profit of his movies as his remuneration and that comes to a huge amount. He gets astronomical sums for his endorsements too(probably because he brings his 'stamp of quality' to the products he endorses). So by doing fewer films,he hasn't lost out on money either.
So by cutting down on his output, and by following his heart where his work was concerned
Aamir has become a unique phenomenon in his chosen field.
It is said that a slave has one master but an ambitious man has many. Anyone, who can help fulfill his ambition is his master. Aamir is self confessedly highly ambitious and yet he appears to be free! At least much more free than his counterparts seem to be.
He has opted out of the rat race and yet beaten all the rats at their game.
His success deserves to be studied in business schools. In India, at least.
Amir sure is a committed artiste. And he has struck the correct balance between intelligent/serious cinema and potboiler entertainers. There is that other brand of committed film makers who are hellbent on churning out bleak,depressing,excruciatingly slow movies that go by the name art-house. Amir is more honest in that he does not rubbish the commercial aspects like song, dance and fights. Thereby, his income is assured while his intention to provide classy fare is also served. (However, in Ghajini, the violence was a tad too much.)
ReplyDeleteI think those arty people are out of business nowadays.Remember those movies in the seventies,Mrinal Sen, Mani kaul etc?I found their depiction of poverty quite fake most of the time.I have found many poor people to be happier than the well-off ones.I too was'nt all that satisfied by Ghajini.The background music jarred at times,especially when the iron rod was being used.I liked Aamir in the action scenes,the animal like quality and the weeping while bashing up the enemy.
ReplyDeleteAs i have seen Ghajini in " original" tamil ( havn't seen the the original-original Hollywood movie)the little nuances ( animal quality, weeping etc)by Amir ( at best, a good repetition guided by the same director), dint impress that much.
ReplyDeleteEntirely agree that poverty in India never was all bleak and noir as the arty types would have Cannes believe ! Wonder if you saw the documentary aired in Discovery Channel once about the slums of Bombay. The closing comment by the presenter was bang-on. She said never in her travels the world over had she seen more abject poverty ; neither had she seen such happiness ! The simple celebration of life as it is ! Something, she said, the developed world would do well to learn.