The OGs

Aamir Khan on the next generation of superstars, the #MeToo movement in India and that time he watched Wonder Woman with Amitabh Bachchan.

- Rajeev Masand

Aamir Khan is cleaning his pipes. No, seriously. The 53-year-old star of blockbuster films, widely regarded as one of the best actors in the country, has a tray of some eight pipes in front of him, and he’s meticulously emptying out the ash and leftover tobacco from the ones he most recently smoked. He’s cleaning out the stem, then the bowl, then reassembling each one before handing the tray back to Amos, his assistant of over 20 years.

Amos appears neither surprised nor impatient as he watches Aamir repeat this process with four pipes. He’s probably used to what the actor himself frequently describes as his “obsessive, finicky nature”. With just weeks to go until his next film comes out, Aamir is on edge. Thugs Of Hindostan marks his first headlining role in two years. With a budget of $42 million, it’s tipped to be the most expensive Hindi film made yet, and with it he’s realised one of his long-standing dreams – of working with Amitabh Bachchan.

Apparently that’s a lot of pressure, even for the most bankable man in Bollywood. There are whispers among his team that he’s been keeping erratic hours, he’s frequently irritable and constantly preoccupied. But anyone who’s known him for a while will tell you – that’s Aamir Khan before every film release. It explains Amos’ nonchalance at his boss’ practically neurotic, pipe-cleaning spree. We’ve been here before.

Amitabh Bachchan is one of your idols, and I know you were meant to do a movie with him in the Nineties which didn’t get made. Why did it take 30 years to get the both of you together on the same set?