Aamir Khan makes exception for Lata Mangeshkar, accepts award after years for Dangal

Aamir Khan has a no-show policy at award shows for decades. He did not even appear at the Filmfare Awards earlier this year when he was awarded in the Best Actor in a Leading Role category.

However, the actor made an exception for veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar when he agreed to receive a special award at the Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards.

Lata invited Aamir, yesteryear actor Vyjayanthimala and former cricketer Kapil Dev to the award ceremony held in honour of her late father who passed away 75 years ago. The same year, Lata made her debut as a singer and will complete 75 years in Hindi cinema this October.

Aamir was given the Vishesh Puraskar for his performance of a retired Haryanavi wrestler in Nitesh Tiwari’s sports biopic from last year, Dangal. He played the role of Mahavir Phogat, former wrestler who trained his daughters Geeta and Babita in wrestling. Geeta went on to win the Commonwealth Games 2010.

Pinkvilla reports Lata as saying, “I know he doesn’t collect awards. But he has made an exception for us. Aamir is indeed one of my favourite actors. Though we don’t meet any more I know there is enormous mutual respect between us.”

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat presented the awards to Aamir, Dev and Vyjayanthimala. News 18 reports that the last notable appearance of Aamir at an award show was when his 2001 production, the period sports drama Lagaan, was nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the Academy Awards in 2002.

Indiatimes reports that Aamir boycotted award shows after 1993 when he lost the Best Actor in a Leading Role award to Anil Kapoor. The latter reportedly bribed to fetch the award for his family drama, Indra Kumar’s Beta. Aamir felt that his sports drama, Mansoor Khan’s Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander was a superior film and was left disillusioned.