Bollywood should be more careful with the way it portrays women as movies make a huge impact socially, feels Aamir Khan.
The 48-year-old star said over the years he has become very careful about how gender dynamics are presented in his films.
“I have become much more careful and sensitive. That process does not stop. It is a learning process. We have to really look how we are portraying women in our film industry,” he told women journalists at IWPC on the eve of Women’s Day.”I don’t know where to start, maybe take a small set of people because we are affecting minds. We have to look at that carefully,” he said.
The actor joked that his activism often lands him in trouble with the people in Bollywood as he starts talking about social issues in showbiz parties.
Aamir, who was in the city to share his experiences on the second season of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ with its writer Swati Chakravarty, said working on the show has made him fragile as he cries more easily now.
Talking about the research on the first episode, which centered around the topic of rape, he said they were shocked to find stories of apathy and inhumanity.
“We were faced with such inhumanity that it was difficult to absorb it. It was a ravaging period in the entire research,” he said, adding that the attempt has been to have a crisis centre for rape victims which will help them get swift justice. The actor said he is prepared to hear negative stories about the show as certain people were bound to attack it.
“There are people who are trying to take away our credibility. There are rumours but you have to be prepared for it. You have to hope that people at large will be able to see what is right and what is not and that they would go by logic,” Aamir said.
The actor said he would never endorse a fairness cream brand and is aghast to see celebrities endorsing it. Talking about the recent ruling of the Supreme Court on Section 377 of IPC, Aamir said he was disappointed by it.
“It was rather unfortunate. I was very surprised by the decision. Personally, I feel it’s really time that we moved forward and pursued equality for all,” he said.
Aamir has now become more open to media following a difficult relationship in the past.”I think I went into a shell during 2006-07. I had nothing against media but I did not want to deal with it. I found them extremely intrusive. I found them to be very attacking.
“It was a phase when TV channels were mushrooming and I think there was a struggle for readership space… it had become vicious medium. I did not know how to react to it. I was being lashed from every side but things changed while working on ‘Taare Zameen Par’,” he added.
