Aamir Khan once had very different views on awards: 'Every actor...'

Bollywood’s acclaimed actor Aamir Khan, often referred to as the industry’s ‘perfectionist,’ has had a long and complicated stance on film awards. Known for his selective appearances, he has largely distanced himself from glitzy award functions, often remarking that such ceremonies fail to hold real significance.

Early Views: Appreciation for Recognition

In an older conversation with Lehren Retro, Aamir acknowledged that awards can be a source of motivation for any actor. He admitted that, like most artists, he too valued recognition and found encouragement in it. According to him, awards bring a sense of respect and inspire performers to raise their creative standards. At that stage in his career, he believed that winning honors was a natural aspiration for someone in cinema.

“Every actor aims to win awards, I also strive for that, so perhaps in the future I might also win an award. Awards do act as a source of encouragement, it inspires you to do better work, you feel respected..” he said.

Shift in Perspective Over the Years

However, Aamir’s perspective gradually underwent a dramatic transformation. By the time he was promoting his globally celebrated film Dangal, he made it clear that his outlook on awards had changed. Despite the film receiving widespread praise and multiple nominations, Aamir remained unmoved by the attention from award committees. For him, the true reward lay in the overwhelming affection and support the film garnered from audiences worldwide. In his eyes, commercial award shows had little to offer beyond surface-level validation.

Recent Reflections on Award Culture

In a 2025 interview with Nana Patekar, the PK actor elaborated on why he continues to avoid mainstream award functions. He explained that Indians are naturally emotional people, which he viewed as a positive trait, but when it came to awards, the focus often shifted from the craft to the individual. He emphasized that recognition should be based solely on the quality of work, regardless of the celebrity attached to it. This, he stressed, was the reason behind his continued absence from such events.

Latest Work and Box Office Success

Most recently, Aamir appeared in Sitaare Zameen Par, a spiritual successor to his much-loved 2007 classic Taare Zameen Par. The film struck a chord with audiences, achieving remarkable commercial success with collections crossing ₹266 crore at the box office.