Aamir Khan and PM Narendra Modi: A bittersweet relationship
Aamir Khan and PM Narendra Modi have shared a bittersweet relationship in the last decade. After having a rough start, the two have have warmed up to each other in the last few years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently sent out requests to many Bollywood stars on social media to help spread voter awareness among Indian citizens. The stars included the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, AR Rahman and Aamir Khan amoung others. Using key dialogues from the actors' films, Modi tweeted to Aamir and Salman Khan, "It is time to inspire and motivate youth in your own Andaz to vote so that we can strengthen Apna Democracy & Apna country."
Aamir Khan was quick to respond to Modi. He wrote: "Absolutely right sir, Hon PM. Let us all engage as citizens of the biggest democracy in the world. Let us fulfill our responsibility, and avail of our right to get our voice heard. Vote!"
On the occasion of his 54th birthday, Aamir Khan revealed his birthday wish. He said, "Since it's the election year, I wish the people of India, the biggest democracy should go and vote. They should all vote and make the elections a success." But will Aamir promote BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha 2019 elections? "No, I don't promote any political parties," said Aamir Khan.
However, with this move, we couldn't help but rewind to the bittersweet relationship that Aamir Khan and PM Narendra Modi have shared over the years.
It's no secret that Aamir Khan and Narendra Modi did not get off to a good start, and have often had a blow-hot-blow-cold relationship in the past two decades. The bitterness between the two dates back to 2006. They first crossed paths when Aamir, along with his Rang De Basanti co-stars, gathered at Jantar Mantar on April 15, 2006 and supported Medha Patkar, who was opposing the Gujarat government's decision to increase the height of Sardar Sarovar Dam. Aamir's active participation in the Narmada Bachao Aandolan raised eyebrows back then.
Before that, Aamir had slammed Modi for the Gujarat riots of 2002 and 2006. In his opinion, Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, did not take the situation under control, which resulted in the loss of several innocent lives, whether Hindu or Muslim.
Much to Aamir Khan's dismay, his comments and protests did not go down well with the Gujarat government, who 'unofficially' banned his film Fanaa (opposite Kajol) which happened to released around that time, in May 2006.
Post that, his film Taare Zameen Par (2007) had also faced revolts in Gujarat, despite Aamir going on the record to specify that he is not opposed to the Narmada dam construction. He said that all he wanted was that the people who have been ousted by the construction of the dam, should get alternative accommodation.
However, the sour relationship between Aamir and PM Modi took a big turn in 2014 when NDA stormed to power and Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country from Gujarat's Chief Minster.
Within a month of his swearing in, Narendra Modi got a visit from Aamir Khan, in the Prime Minister's Office on June 23, 2014. That's not all: Aamir even tweeted photos from the meeting and disclosed that he talked about 'Vote For Change' campaign with the Prime Minister. He thanked PM Modi for giving him a good long duration for the meet.
Since then, Aamir Khan shared the dais with PM Modi during the launch of the Swachh Bharat Campaign in the national capital in 2014, and pledged his support by offering to be a brand ambassador.
Although there was one last dent in their newfound friendship. In November 2015, at the Ramnath Goenka Awards, Aamir Khan joined the intolerance debate saying that, going by the number of incidents (of intolerance), his wife Kiran Rao suggested that they should probably leave the country.
"As an individual, as part of this country as a citizen, we read in the papers what is happening, we see it on the news and certainly, I have been alarmed. I can't deny. I have been alarmed by a number of incidents." Aamir Khan also said he felt that the sense of insecurity and fear had been growing in the past six or eight months. "When I chat with Kiran at home, she says 'Should we move out of India?' That's a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day."
Aamir's opinion caused a storm on social media, and the actor was slammed by netizens. Soon after, it came as no surprise that Amitabh Bachchan replaced Aamir Khan as the brand ambassador of the Incredible India campaign.
However, at the 10-year anniversary of his ensemble film Rang De Basanti, Aamir made it a point to clarify that his statement was misconstrued and blown out of proportion. "Some could understand me and some couldn't. And those who are hurt, I can understand their feelings. I would have been hurt had I been in their place because they were told something that was not true. I was hurt and along with me, many people have been hurt because of this misunderstanding. I give this credit to you all (media) because you all have twisted my words. I request you all that please don't do this," Aamir Khan said.
"Our country is a beautiful example of unity in diversity. Take my family for instance. My wife is Hindu. My two sisters are married to Hindus - Farhat [Khan] is married to Rajeev [Datta] while Nikhat [Khan] to Santosh Hegde. My cousin Mansoor Khan has married a Catholic. I have three kids and they are half-Hindu and half-Muslim," he said. "Both Kiran and I never bring our religions into the picture. I am an Indian first and always will be an Indian," Khan continued, "Let me tell you that I never said that. I was born in India and I will die in India. I never thought about leaving the country. Neither Kiran nor will I think about it. In fact, when I stay away from the country for two weeks, I get homesick."
Our Prime Minister has said unity is our strength and that one shouldn't spread poison. I love my country and people who are spreading negativity, I with folded hands ask them to not do. Unity in diversity is our main aim," said Aamir Khan.
Since then, Aamir Khan has met PM Narendra Modi on several occasions, be at the PMO to acknowledge and discuss the role of the Indian film industry in contributing to the economic growth of the nation or at the inauguration of the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai in January 2019, but the true test of their friendship would perhaps be the Lok Sabha elections this year!
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