Top filmmakers, actors afraid to experiment, says Aamir Khan

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has has criticised established actors and filmmakers, saying they are scared to produce fresh content and only focus on box office numbers. Though Aamir’s own last outing on screen Dhoom 3 is one of the highest grossers of all times despite getting panned by critics, the 49-year-old actor feels the focus in film making needs to shift from business aspect to content. “The top actors and filmmakers of Bollywood are afraid to experiment. Industry is to be blamed for this hype around 100 crore films. Everything has become about numbers. I don’t think so that should be the way. Audience wants films that can enrich them but we don’t do that,” Aamir said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2014 here on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_1816555” align=“alignleft” width=“380” class=" “]  Actor Aamir Khan. Reuters/File photo[/caption] The actor-director, however, praised Bollywood’s young directors for coming up with unusual stories. “I am impressed with the young directors though. They dare to tell good, different stories. Films like ‘Queen’ and ‘Kahaani’ have different fresh stories and they are made by young directors. I think we need more of such content in our films. It should be more about substance,” he said. Aamir credited young filmmakers for expanding the parameter of mainstream cinema. “Indian cinema is undergoing a transition. The definition of mainstream film is changing, which is a positive thing. Coming of young people with their own sensibilities and voices has really changed Indian cinema. “There are films now being made and accepted by the audience which earlier would not have been made. Lines between parallel and mainstream cinema are blurring,” the actor said. According to the actor, newcomers should be encouraged so that there is a healthy competition in the film industry. “I want more stars to be there in Bollywood than just Shah Rukh, Salman and me because that will bring much more healthy competition. As creative people we should encourage young talent so that there are many more stars to choose from, which will make our product more saleable and bring new people and also give them a larger choice,” Aamir said. The star said he never gets insecure from other actors and looks forward to watch their work. “I don’t get insecure from any other star because I think only about my own film and if I have made it nicely or not. In fact watching other people’s work gives me happiness. I like watching Ranbir Kapoor’s films, I really liked him in ‘Barfi!’ and loved Sanjay Dutt in ‘Munnabhai’ series,” he said.