Aamir adds years and kilos for role

ACTOR-producer Aamir Khan, pictured, who will be playing a 55-year-old man in his upcoming film Dangal, says he wanted to do this film only after he turned 60.

“When I read the story of it, I just loved it,” he says. “It made me laugh and cry as the script was very exciting and inspirational.

“I wanted to do it, but I was fickle-minded, having just done Dhoom 3 and PK. For this film, Nitesh (Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal director) wanted to show me as a 55-year-old man, which is closer to my reality, so honestly I had that fear.

“I had the fear that today, when I am still doing young roles, why am I getting into this old man’s role? I had to gain weight and go for grey hair, so I was scared about my future and audience.”

Aamir says he wanted to do this film when he was 60, for this reason.

Dangal is an Indian biographical sports drama from the director of Chillar Party and Bhootnath Returns.

The film sees Aamir portraying Mahavir Singh Phogat, who taught wrestling to his daughters, Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat. Geeta was India’s first female wrestler to win at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she clinched the gold medal, while Babita won the silver.

Aamir plays both the younger and older versions of Phogat, and had put on 95kg to play the older part. He is now bringing down his weight to around 70kg.

The actor recently unveiled the poster of the film, which shows him sitting with his four “daughters”.

“The poster narrates the story of the film,” he says.

“It’s about this man and his four daughters. I don’t believe that women have to go easy or reduce their femininity to be strong. Only their hair is short, and it’s from a practical point of view of wrestling.” – IANS