Aamir Khan Admits Thugs Of Hindostan Was Weak, But Laal Singh Chaddha's Failure Hit Hard: 'I Cried For Weeks'
At the recent ABP Live Ideas of India Summit, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan candidly discussed the emotional toll of his recent box office failures.
At the recent ABP Live Ideas of India Summit, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan candidly discussed the emotional toll of his recent box office failures. While Dangal (2016) remains the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, solidifying Aamir’s status as a box office powerhouse, the last few years have not been as kind to the actor.
His last two films, Thugs of Hindostan (2018) and Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), received widespread criticism and underperformed at the box office, leaving Aamir grappling with disappointment.
When Aamir Khan went into depression
Known for his methodical approach to filmmaking—where he dedicates himself to a single project over several years—Aamir revealed how these setbacks affected him. “I was very sad. I am a very emotional person,” he shared during the Ideas of India Summit.
“Thugs of Hindostan might have been a weak film. I believe we weren’t able to achieve what we had set out to do. Filmmaking is a difficult medium; so, sometimes, we might end up not being able to make what we want to.”
When reflecting on Laal Singh Chaddha, the official remake of the iconic Forrest Gump (1994), Aamir admitted, “I think my performance was a pitch too high. That film relied completely on the lead actor’s performance. Remember how great a job Tom Hanks did in the original film? He just took you on a ride. I wasn’t able to do that.”
Aamir also spoke about how deeply failure impacts him. “When one of my films doesn’t perform well, I go into depression and cry for two to three weeks. It’s important to mourn. Once that phase is over, I call over the entire team to analyse what went wrong so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes. I really value my failures and go deep into them, trying to understand what all went wrong,” he said, highlighting how setbacks not only serve as learning opportunities but also fuel his drive to prove himself again.
His family's role in overcoming the tough phase
Support from his family played a crucial role in helping him through tough times. Aamir shared, “In the case of Thugs of Hindostan, my family knew beforehand that I wasn’t fully impressed by it. But with Laal Singh Chaddha, they knew how deeply involved and emotionally invested I was. So, when it flopped, they checked in on me frequently. Junaid would sometimes drop by in the evening to see how I was doing, and at other times, it would be Ira. Even Reena, Kiran and my mother started reaching out to me more often. In fact, at one point, I (jokingly) thought that if I got this much attention every time a film flopped, maybe I should have had a few more failures.”
About the films
Directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, Thugs of Hindostan featured an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, and Fatima Sana Shaikh, with Yash Raj Films backing the project.
Laal Singh Chaddha, helmed by Advait Chandan, starred Kareena Kapoor Khan, Naga Chaitanya, Mona Singh, and Manav Vij. The film was jointly produced by Paramount Pictures, Aamir Khan Productions, and Viacom18 Studios.
Despite recent setbacks, Aamir’s honesty and resilience reflect his commitment to learning from his experiences and delivering impactful cinema.
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