‘I
have
typically
worked
with
neurotypical
actors.
This
was
the
first
time
that
I
was
working
with
neuro-divergent
actors.’
‘The
experience
was
mind-blowing.’
‘Because
they
don’t
have
egos.’
Aamir
Khan
with
Rishi
Shahani
and
Samvit
Desai
in
Sitaare
Zameen
Par.
Aamir
Khan‘s
Sitaare
Zameen
Par
is
among
the
most-watched
films
of
the
year
so
far,
thanks
to
its
heart-warming
underdog
story.
Aamir
discusses
the
film
with
Subhash
K
Jha,
and
reveals
why
he
chose
to
set
the
film
against
basketball.
“Basketball
is
a
game
where
you
have
to
bounce
the
ball
and
put
it
in
a
basket.
It’s
a
fairly
simple
requirement,”
he
says.
When
you
converted
the
Spanish
film
Champions
into
a
Hindi
film,
why
did
you
choose
basketball?
Basketball
is
not
such
a
popular
game
in
India.
Yes,
yes,
you’re
right.
Well,
the
original
had
basketball.
We
did
experiment
with
a
couple
of
choices.
We
thought
because
we
are
showing
that
it’s
a
team
of
neuro-divergent
players,
if
the
game
is
very
complex,
then
neuro-divergent
people
would
usually
not
enter
that
space.
Basketball
is
a
game
where
you
have
to
bounce
the
ball
and
put
it
in
a
basket.
It’s
a
fairly
simple
requirement.
We
had
thought
of
one
alternative.
A
scene
from
Sitaare
Zameen
Par.
Football?
No.
Kabaddi,
because
that’s
a
very
Indian
game.
But
they
are
specially-abled
people,
so
playing
Kabaddi
would
have
been
a
little
difficult.
Also,
Kabaddi
is
a
body
contact
sport
and
a
lot
of
them
are
averse
to
pushing
and
shoving
and
pulling
the
leg.
It
doesn’t
come
naturally
to
them.
So
we
dropped
that
idea.
Have
you
ever
played
Kabaddi?
Well,
I
have
in
school.
It’s
considered
as
a
national
sport.
But
basketball
brought
a
sense
of
unusualness.
Genelia
Deshmukh
and
Aamir
Khan
in
Sitaare
Zameen
Par.
Was
there
a
bond
beyond
the
camera
with
these
neuro-challenged
heroes?
I’m
very
close
to
all
of
them,
all
10
of
them.
I
had
a
great
working
relationship
with
them.
Having
worked
for
35
years
now,
I
have
typically
worked
with
neurotypical
actors.
This
was
the
first
time
that
I
was
working
with
neuro-divergent
actors.
I
have
to
say
the
experience
was
mind-blowing.
Aamir
Khan
with
the
Sitaare
actors.
Photograph:
Kind
courtesy
Aamir
Khan
Productions/Instagram
Why
is
that?
Because
they
don’t
have
egos.
They
don’t
come
with
any
preconceived
heart,
it’s
pure
heart.
They’re
joyful.
They’re
happy
to
be
on
set.
They’re
happy
to
be
working
on
a
film.
Their
energy
is
infectious.
Photographs
curated
by
Satish
Bodas/Rediff
