Chauvinism in films pushes us back: Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan, currently on an international campaign to promote his film Laapataa Ladies for the Oscars, recently opened up about the prevalence of chauvinistic themes in Bollywood. In an eye-opening interview with BBC Asia Network, Khan expressed his disappointment at how mainstream Hindi cinema often glorifies patriarchy, calling it a harmful trend that "pushes us back by a decade."

When asked about how his films differ from others that celebrate chauvinism, Khan didn't mince words. "Not nice. It pushes us back by a decade. That's sad. I wish we didn't see that but that's part of life. The fact is that each one has their own opinion. People have different opinions. A lot of people endorse patriarchy in a very strong way, and some endorse it in a hidden way. That's something we have to deal with," he said, highlighting his concern about the deeper societal implications of such portrayals.

Khan went on to share his personal experiences, explaining how growing up surrounded by strong women has shaped his outlook on gender dynamics. "I as an individual have grown up with really strong women around me. My mother, my grandmother, my aunt, my sisters, both my wives," he said, quickly correcting himself with a smile, "ex-wives." He further elaborated, "Maybe, that's why I don't feel threatened as a man. Because I see that as a positive thing. A woman who is strong is really positive and she can only help me. For me, my upbringing has been quite good actually."

On his choice of films, the superstar stressed that while he's often drawn to socially relevant stories, it's not the issue itself that influences his decisions. "I believe that I have done a lot of films which have social issues, but it's not like I take scripts which have social issues. That's not how I go about it. I strongly feel that as a creative person, my fundamental and primary responsibility is to entertain," he explained. "Having said that, when I am reading scripts, I naturally get attracted to scripts which are also saying something important."

Khan has spent much of the last year reflecting on life and family, having stepped away from films following the release of Laal Singh Chaddha. Now, at 59, he is approaching his career with renewed purpose, taking on multiple projects, including his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Khan discussed his decision to embrace a more productive phase, rooted in the reality of ageing and mortality. While his ex-wife Kiran Rao rejected the idea of his career winding down, Khan, ever the realist, responded, "You can't trust life; we might die tomorrow. I roughly have 10 years of active life. Till I am 70, I will hopefully be well enough to be productive."