Aamir Khan says method acting can become an excuse for bad behaviour on movie sets. 'I don’t do all that mischief'

For decades now, Aamir Khan has remained one of the most discussed actors in Bollywood, not just because of his films but also because of the way he works on them. His strong involvement in scripts, performances and production decisions has often created rumours that he secretly directs many of his own movies behind the scenes. At the same time, the actor has also regularly been linked with the idea of “method acting” because of the intense preparation he is known for before a role.

Now, during a recent Screen Academy Masterclass at Whistling Woods International, Aamir addressed both topics directly, speaking openly about filmmaking, acting and the perception people have built around him over the years.

Speaking with Screen Academy, Aamir clarified that he has officially directed only one film in his entire career and said many assumptions made about him over the years are far from reality. The actor also reflected on how early failures shaped his choices and why he believes filmmaking is much more unpredictable than people think.

Aamir says he has directed only one film in 38 years

Aamir strongly denied claims that he secretly directs the films he acts in. According to him, despite what has been written and discussed for years, he has officially directed only Taare Zameen Par.

He said, “First you have to realise that in all the films I have done in these 38 years, I have directed only one film, 'Taare Zameen Par'. All the other films are not directed by me, no matter how much y’all have been fed by the media.”

The actor also questioned why he would put in the effort of directing a film but allow somebody else to receive the credit for it. In his usual candid style, he added, “The media has constantly claimed that I ghost-direct films. My point is why will I do that? If I am doing a great job, why on earth will I put someone else’s name? Pagal kutte ne kata hai mujhe? What nonsense? It has been my privilege to work with directors who are extremely talented and from whom I have learnt so much.”

Aamir explained that one of the biggest reasons he finds such rumours strange is because all his films carry completely different tones and styles. According to him, if he had been directing all those projects himself, they would have looked and felt similar in some way.

He cited films like Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, Sarfarosh and 3 Idiots while making his point.

Aamir shares his thoughts on method acting

During the conversation, Aamir also opened up about acting techniques and admitted that he personally has never fully transformed into a character in the way some actors claim to do.

He explained that there are moments when actors continue to remain emotionally attached to a scene even after filming stops. “When you’re in that moment and the director says ‘cut,’ the whole world has moved on, but you’re still there. You’re thinking, ‘Oh, was that correct or not?’ So I’m still stuck in that same. But it takes 15–20 minutes for you to come out of it. But I’ve never become the character. Never. Not in all these years.”

Aamir then took a light-hearted dig at actors who often insist they are still “in character” even after cameras stop rolling. “I suppose it gives you a lot of freedom to misbehave, by saying, ‘Oh, I’m still in character, I’m still in character.’ I don’t do all that mischief.”

The actor even described himself as someone who is “not that good an actor” while explaining why he approaches performances differently and prefers staying practical instead of trying to live like the character off-screen.

Early failures changed his approach to films

Aamir also reflected on the early years of his career. After the success of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, he signed multiple films together, but many of them failed at the box office. For a period, he was even labelled a “one-film wonder.”

That difficult phase changed the way he approached work. He eventually became more selective about scripts and decided to focus on one project at a time instead of juggling several films together. Over time, that careful approach became closely associated with his image in the industry.