Aamir Khan reveals he initially declined Dangal, joking that SRK and Salman might have sent Nitesh Tiwari to sabotage his career. What followed became a historic milestone in Indian cinema
March 25, 2025: Aamir Khan’s Dangal may be one of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema, but it almost never happened. In a recent podcast appearance on Just Too Filmy, the actor revealed he initially turned down the role of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat—albeit for a reason both hilarious and unexpected.
“When Nitesh Tiwari narrated Dangal to me, I told him it was a brilliant script,” Aamir recalled. “But I had just finished Dhoom 3 and was in peak physical shape with 9.67% body fat. He wanted me to play a 55-year-old with a potbelly! For a moment, I wondered—has Shah Rukh or Salman sent him to end my career?” he said, laughing.
Aamir admitted he initially told Tiwari to “come back in 10-15 years,” and surprisingly, the director agreed. But as time passed, the idea grew on Aamir, and eventually, he took the plunge—one that turned into a defining moment of his career.
Released in 2016, Dangal not only received widespread acclaim but also went on to collect ₹2,000 crore globally, making it the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year.
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The actor, now 60, emphasized that his career choices are purely instinct-driven. “I never follow trends,” he explained. “I just go with what moves me. If a story resonates with me as a human, I believe the audience will feel the same.”
Aamir is currently gearing up for his next film Sitaare Zameen Par, described as a spiritual successor to Taare Zameen Par. The film will mark his return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus.
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