Box Office India Records: Darr (1993)

Showing posts with label Darr (1993). Show all posts

"I did not walk out of Darr. I was removed from the film" - Aamir Khan, 1994

How important is money to you?

Money is important, but it's not the only important factor.

Does it bother you that you earn less compared to actors who do greater number of films?

No, because there are other things I'd like to do besides films. These things may not bring in that flow of money but I do them because I want to. You make it seem like you are not terribly happy about being a star.(Smiles) I'm quite satisfied with the way things are but I'd like them to be better. I'm slowly working towards achieving that. In fact, I have been at it for the last couple of years. Doing selective films is a part of the programme. At one time I was doing 11 films simultaneously and God, how unhappy I was. Today, I've cut down on my workload and am doing only three films.

In which case what is the logic behind doing such few films?

If logic is what I was looking for, I'd make the best of these years. Instead, by being extremely choosy and fussy I'm doing the most illogical thing. But I do it because I feel like it.

Has it occurred to you that this could be some sort of a defence mechanism?

Defence mechanism? From what? Haven't I worked with top banners, given successful films?

Yes, but not the way Shah Rukh Khan has in recent times. Do you feel envious of Shah Rukh's success?

I would if I did not get the response I do from my audience. I don't think the audience respects me any less than it does Shah Rukh. That he has had two blockbusters in a row (Baazigar & Darr), which is what Anil (Kapoor) had after Tezaab and later Salman (Khan), does not become a barometer for any star's popularity.

Then what does?

Something more long term than two hits. The current mass hysteria for Shah Rukh was inevitable. They do that to every hero after a successful release. I enjoyed it too after Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, after Dil, after Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke. These waves come in everytime there's a hit. It's no big deal!!

Isn't it?

No.

Would you agree that you haven't been able to draw the right balance between creativity and success?

I think I have. Why do you say I haven't? Because there is no hype? Because I don't sell myself hard? Don't boast of my achievements to film magazines? I don't believe in media hype. I don't believe in channelising my energies for wrong motives. And despite this, let me tell you I want to be the country's most successful actor... Let's see, the race is not over yet!

Even though the rivals have overshot?

So what? They did because they had the talent. For myself, I can say that out of my 15 films, Five were successes. This is a very good strike record. As for creative satisfaction, I can safely say that to five out of these 15, I'm proud to lend my name to and I'm not sure how many actors can be so fortunate.

Critics feel that you don't market yourself as well as your rivals. That you don't cash in on your success.

That could be true. I don't market myself well. After Dil, I deliberately didn't sign a single film, a normal practice amongst actors after a successful release. I don't believe in this artificial enhancement of stardom... It's all so fake.

And Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke ?

It was the same. Akele Hum Akele Tum came much later, and very quietly that too.

Talking of HHRPK, did you feel that Juhi Chawla got more credit than you?

I got more than what was due to me. People unnecessarily credited me for directing the film when I didn't.

No contribution at all...?

Well, contribution maybe but then that's the level of contribution I make in all my films as an actor. And considering the script was mine, my involvement was a little more. Also the fact that my father was the producer. But this doesn't mean I directed the film. If I had directed, it would have been a better film.

Would you rate Juhi's performance better than your own?

No, I don't think so. I think her character was spicier than mine. It had more shades while my character was one dimensional. But I don't think the audience liked Juhi more than they liked me.

On to Juhi. While once you two were considered an ideal pair, today she is rated as a better pair with Shah Rukh Khan.

That's because she's doing films with Shah Rukh and not with me. My current assignments include Manisha (Koirala), Karisma (Kapoor), Mamta (Kulkarni) and Urmila (Matondkar) (looks out from the window to wave out at a fan passing by).

When you are travelling, what are your preoccupations?

That's impossible to answer. I think of so many things - sometimes personal, sometimes professional. I muse over my decisions sometimes.

Do you regret your decision of walking out of Darr?

One, I did not walk out of Darr. I was removed from the film. Two, I was removed from the film because I asked for a joint narration with Sunny Deol. Initially, the director agreed, but later I don't know why he changed his mind. When I persisted, he phoned to say 'Aamir, let's work some other time.' So I said, 'Fine'.

Do you feel bad now that the film is a huge success?

That the film was going to become a big hit is something I had expected. In fact, that's the reason I signed it.

Isn't that a contradiction, earlier you said that you sign films on choice not because they are going to prove commercially viable?

I said that success and failure are not in my control. But using my judgement for choosing a success or a failure most certainly is. And I was using this judgement when I accepted Darr. When I said yes to Darr, I was absolutely sure of two things - one that the film was going to click and two, that I was going to enjoy doing the role. My doubts about my enjoying it, surfaced when the director refused t give a joint narration. In a way I was relieved when I was finally out of the film, because this was better than suffering all through its shooting. If I felt sad, it was about my missing out on a very good role.

Would you work with Yash Chopra again?

No. I'll never work with him. Not after this incident. Our styles of working are different.

Fan - The Genre Makes It Tough

Fan dropped on the second day at key centres which basically sealed its fate.
The genre of the film always meant an uphill struggle to meet expectations
which were mainly there because of a big star like Shahrukh Khan.
It could have succeeded but was never going to be a superstar level hit.
This was always going to be the problem with film unless the content worked all over.
The opening which the film took of was far too high for this type of film.
If a film is nearing 20 crore nett on day one then the content and story telling
has to be such that appeals all over.

The list of disappointments in the genre is huge not just over the last few years
but since they started being made in Hindi.
The last big hit in the genre was Agni Sakshi way back in 1996 and this was
mainly driven by Mumbai circuit which had a tax free status.
The last one to do extraordinary business all over was actually a Shahrukh Khan film
Darr in 1993. This is probably the most successful thriller genre film in India ever.

Basically the bigger the star, the bigger the risk with this genre.
The more popular you are then the higher the expectations go which just can't be met
with the genre especially the sort of number that is expected of a Shahrukh Khan or a
Salman Khan starrer. Its difficult to meet expectations anyway and if a few circuits
reject the film then the gap between expectation and final result can look huge which
is the case with Fan.

The downside of mega stardom is that you can't really go out of the drama, action
and love story genre today as box office numbers are reported everywhere and outside
these genres you need some outstanding film to put up a megastar number.
It is also interesting to note that the other superstar of the day Salman Khan has no
film in the thriller genre in our database which goes back to 1994.
Not only Salman Khan but even the legendary megastars of prior generations with
great box office records are likely to have filmographies devoid of thrillers.

Despite below expectation business, the film is commercially safe as Yash Raj Films
holding all rights there is no one in the chain to lose any money but eventually the
film content has not found acceptance.

The makers of Fan have made a profit or Rs. 16cr.
However, given the fact that Fan was backed by a renowned production house like YRF
and featured a Megastar like Shah Rukh Khan, the numbers might not be exciting
enough and they would surely be disappointed.