Aamir Khan on his reaction to trolling: ‘If someone is just making fun of me or attacking me for no reason, I don’t bother’
Aamir Khan possibly is the last person to experience FOMO (fear of missing out). Whether it’s not attending award shows, not doing multiple films in a year or not making frequent public appearances unlike most of his fellow colleagues in the industry, Khan has never really been a part of any rat race or not even bothered about being left out. And so, even when it comes to his social media presence, Mr. Perfectionist follows his own norms.
In fact, it was only in 2018 that he made his Instagram debut much after all big names from Bollywood had been there. Ask why, and prompt comes the reply, “To be quite honest, I am a person who is in my own world half the time. So, I am not very often there on social media platforms. You can say I am not very communicative on social media.”
He is quick to add that his films and other works are the medium he wants to be known for and he likes to communicate through his films. “For me, that’s the most important form of communication. Whether it’s through my films or (TV show) Satyameva Jayate or through Paani Foundation, the communication that I do through my work is what counts,” he explains.
However, it’s not that Khan totally keeps himself aloof from having a voice on social media, as he says, “Once in a while I would tweet something or post a picture on Instagram, but yeah, I am not very regular.”
Perhaps that’s also the reason one hasn’t really heard or read about the actor getting into any war of words or hitting back at trolls for nasty comments, if any. But does he take out time to read the comments on his posts on social media? “Yes, I do read them, occasionally. Especially, around my film’s release, I definitely do because I want to know what people feel about the film and my character. That’s the time when I go and particularly look for what people are saying,” says the actor, who is currently shooting for his next, Lal Singh Chhadha.
Having said that, Khan asserts that he doesn’t let too much of negativity affect him. “If someone is just making fun of me or attacking me for no reason, I don’t bother. Aise hi arbitrary log negative bol rahe hain, usse mujhse kucch farak nahi padta aur main uss par repond bhi nahi karta.”
And constructive criticism is something that the Thugs of Hindostan (2018) actor happily welcomes. “If someone gives me criticism, which is constructive, I take it seriously because that’s where I am learning. As an actor and a creative person, it helps me learn and grow,” he continues, “When people appreciate my work, it makes me feel nice. I understand what they’ve understood in the film, how they’ve perceived the character; they describe it and it’s a happy feeling that my work connected with them. Even at times when people say they don’t like my work and describe what they didn’t like, it helps me to improve myself. So, I am all for sensible criticism.”