Aamir Khan thought someone was ‘playing a prank’ on him when he got a script called ‘The Falling’ during Mangal Pandey’s shoot

Aamir was intrigued by the narrative but few things in the story didn’t make sense to him. He was also unsure about backing a first-time filmmaker for such a complex narrative. “She had a background in journalism. I wasn’t sure if she would be able to handle fiction filmmaking,” Aamir said. What followed was an unconventional test: he asked Anusha to shoot select scenes from the script within a fixed timeline and present the footage.

Also Read | ‘Perfectionist’ Aamir Khan landed at co-actor’s house at midnight for a scene that didn’t involve him: ‘He was in his shorts, smoking’

The shoot was far from easy. With limited resources, no access to real locations or actors, and just ten days to wrap, Anusha had little to work with. But she delivered. The test footage convinced Aamir that she was more than capable and he decided to back the project. “She was able to achieve things which were very difficult to achieve… her ability to bring things to life in realism was amazing,” he said, recalling how impressed he was with her work.

Peepli Live became one of the most talked-about films of its time, cementing Aamir Khan’s reputation as a discerning producer — and earning the distinction of being India’s official entry to the Oscars.