Mita Vashisht had a tense acting experience with Aamir Khan
What's the story
Actor Mita Vashisht recently opened up about her experiences working with co-star Aamir Khan on the 1998 blockbuster film, Ghulam. She highlighted their contrasting acting styles, noting that while she, a theater veteran, was comfortable improvising scenes, Khan preferred meticulous planning. This divergence in approach reportedly led to a tense dynamic between the two actors on set.
On-set disagreements
Vashisht recalls tension over improvisation with Khan
In an interview with The Lallantop, Vashisht detailed a specific incident during the film's first reading. Director Mahesh Bhatt suggested improvising a scene, a suggestion that didn't sit well with Khan. "Aamir looked at me and said, 'Improvise.' He didn't like that word," Vashisht recalled. "Aamir and I are very different actors. He likes to plan everything."
Scene direction
Vashisht and Khan had very different acting approaches
Vashisht also shared an instance where Khan attempted to dictate her performance in a scene. She recounted, "I said, 'No. You do what you have to do, I will do what I have to do.' He said, 'How will I know what you are going to do?' and I told him, 'See me and react.'" This incident further underscored the tension between their differing acting styles on set.
Caste system
'There was difference between commercial actors and art cinema actors'
Vashisht further discussed the perceived 'caste system' in Hindi cinema, using an incident from the Ghulam set. "The first time I ruffled his hair, he didn't like it. I immediately understood his mindset that, 'Hath kaise laga dia mujhe (How did she touch me?)' He looked at Mahesh questioning my gesture but Mahesh took my side and said, 'I don't know what she did but it was beautiful.'" "There was a difference between commercial actors and art cinema actors."
Reshoots
Vashisht recalls reshooting scene with Khan after production pause
When filming resumed, Vashisht and Khan had to reshoot the scene where she ruffles his hair. However, due to Khan's previous reaction, Vashisht refrained from touching his hair this time. "I had that niggle from the last shoot. So, this time when we were performing that scene I didn't touch his hair and Aamir kept waiting," she said. When questioned by Khan about her hesitation, she voiced her concerns, to which he responded, "No, no, please do it."
Production pause
'Ghulam' production halted over concerns about Khan's brand value
Production on Ghulam was reportedly halted for 1.5 years due to concerns about Khan's brand value not being big enough. During this pause, the film underwent significant changes, including Pooja Bhatt leaving and Rani Mukerji joining as the lead actor. Additionally, Bhatt stepped down as director, with Vikram Bhatt taking his place. The film also starred Deepak Tijori and Sharat Saxena.