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As Rangeela turns 30 — the film starring Aamir Khan, Urmila Matondkar and Jackie Shroff released on September 8, 1995 — Aamir shares a no-holds-barred look on the film, its preparation and his relationship with director Ram Gopal Varma that has evolved over the years.
Munna in Rangeela remains one of your most standout performances.
It’s been 30 years as you said. The key of the character I got from Ramu only when he did his first narration. In that first narration, I was watching him very closely and he was doing it really well. He doesn’t speak Hindi and was doing it in English. But he was showing me the attitude and the body language. I got the whole energy that he wanted in that first narration itself. And that was a very good cue for me.
The way you dressed up, chains and that cap, whose idea was that?
I wanted to wear clothes which have already been used. Otherwise we have to buy new clothes and then we sort of make them look worn out, but I don’t like that. So in this film, especially because he’s a tapori,so I picked up clothes from people.
From people, do you mean friends?
If I would meet somebody on the road, I would spot somebody in their jeans. I would stop the car and say, ‘Listen, can I buy it?’ I would buy it off them and if they would fit, it would fit. If not, at least, because I knew what I was looking for. Yeah, I took a chance. Most people were quite obliging.
Well, why would they not be obliging to you?
It’s for a film, you know, so please help me.
What was your reaction when Ramu offered you this role?
I was immediately up for it. In the first narration itself, I loved it. And I immediately wanted to do the film. Ramu was someone I had been looking forward to working with.
He was relatively new at that time, whereas you had had many milestones by then?
I had had Dil, I had had QSQT, I had had Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. I also was very keen to work with him. I liked his work in Shiva a lot.
He never made a lighthearted film like Rangeela again?
He really enjoyed himself on this one. Actually, I had a big advantage which people don’t know about. In my building, we used to have a lot of kids coming from outside to play. My building was close to Kamal Amrohi’s where Rinaji (Rina Dutta, Aamir’s first wife) also used to stay. In that building, there are a row of garages where a lot of drivers stay. Their kids, Mannu, Asif, Fareed and Sunil, used to hop over the wall and we used to all play cricket, marbles, everything. We were together every evening. I grew up with them and they were hardcore taporis.I knew exactly what a tapori was. It’s the energy and attitude of the person. Until then, people had seen me play urbanized characters. I was very comfortable because I had actually grown up with taporis.
And there was Rajesh Joshi who played Pakya.
Oh, he was very good, Rajesh.One of the biggest contributors to this film was Neeraj Vora, who’s passed away. He actually wrote the film and also did the casting. All those actors are from Gujarati theatre and Neeraj got them for big parts.Even the waiter (Rajeev Mehta), he has that one line, is also from Gujarati theatre.Very experienced actors. So, that casting that Neeraj brought into the film, really helped. Pakya’s casting was so bang on, and he was extremely good. It was also great working with Jackie Shroff. I was working with him for the first time. He’s such a cool guy and so funny. I had a question for him, which I got answered when I was shooting with him in Rangeela.
Which is?
My cousin Mansoor Khan and I were working on a script. The role was always meant for Jackie… we were both writing it for Jackie. Mansoor was going to direct it. This is before tbefore Akele Hum Akele Tum and after Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Mansoor and I were writing it when we both knew that Jackie was our first choice. Boney at that timewanted to sign Mansoor. So, Mansoor said, you get me Jackie and I’ll do the film with you. Boney called up Jackie and said, Mansoor wants to narrate a script to you. In the same film, there is one sidekick’s role. He is a sweet guy but he’s just hanging around, doing nothing. Mansoor asked me to do that role. I said, why are you giving me this role? I don’t want to be in the film. It’s Jackie’s film and this role is not mine; there’s nothing in that role. He said all of you actors are so selfish, you never think of the whole project. I agreed to do the role to support the film.
So, you agreed to do Jackie’s sidekick’s role?
I agreed to do it. Jackie came in for the narration. I wasn’t there. Next day, Mansoor told me that Jackie said no. I was surprised because it was such a fantastic script and role. I couldn’t understand it. Years passed and while we were shooting for Rangeela, I asked him. I said I was very curious to know why he said no. He said, ‘Biddu, I thought both the brothers, you and Mansoor, were making fun of me.’ He suspected that maybe I have the bigger role. I laughed so hard. And then I told him, I said, I didn’t want to do that role. So, he said, ‘Biddu, I made a mistake.’ And of course, that film never got made.
What was it like working with Urmila?
Urmila was very good to work with. She was very professional, very, very hardworking, very on the ball. She applied herself really hard.So, it was great to work with her. Ramu and I had an issue, but we’ve all grown up.
He said in an interview that the guy who played the waiter in the restaurant, Rajiv Mehta, was better in that scene than you.
In an interview, he did say that but this is not the reason. It’s not nice to talk about such things.
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