Did you know Satish Kaushik REJECTED Aamir Khan for Mr India because of THIS reason?

Time of India

11-07-2025

Aamir Khan, before his Bollywood fame, faced rejection from Satish Kaushik for an assistant director role on Mr India. Kaushik admitted that Aamir's arrival in a car, though not his, created an awkward impression, influencing the decision. This incident highlights the industry's unspoken hierarchies and ego dynamics, costing Aamir the opportunity despite his qualifications.
Before becoming one of Bollywood's biggest stars,
Aamir Khan
had his fair share of early rejections — one of which came from none other than veteran actor-filmmaker
Satish Kaushik
. In a lesser-known anecdote, Aamir once revealed how he was turned down for an assistant director's role on Mr.
India simply because of a misunderstood first impression — offering a rare, amusing glimpse into the ego dynamics and unspoken hierarchies of the industry.
In a candid chat with Humans of Bombay, Aamir recalled the uncertain phase in his life when he was still figuring out his path into the film industry. One thing he was sure of, however, was his desire to work with filmmaker
Shekhar Kapur
, whose work he deeply admired. At the time, Kapur was directing the cult classic Mr.
India. Interestingly, Satish Kaushik, who played the beloved character Calendar in the film, was also serving as the chief assistant director — the very person Aamir had to face for his job interview.
The superstar recalled meeting Shekhar Kapur with the hope of working as his assistant director. During the interaction, he also met Satish Kaushik, who was then Kapur's chief AD on Mr. India. Aamir came prepared — he presented detailed paperwork showcasing his skills and understanding of filmmaking.
At the time, such preparation was rare in the industry, and both Kapur and Kaushik were reportedly impressed. Aamir noted that even Kaushik, despite his experience, wasn't used to seeing that level of documentation from aspiring assistants.
He also shared that despite being confident in his abilities as an assistant director — particularly his knack for managing film sets — he didn't get the job on Mr. India. Later, he discovered the reason.
Satish Kaushik, who was leading the AD team, told him candidly that when Aamir showed up for the meeting in a car, while he himself didn't own one, it made him feel awkward. Kaushik admitted that it didn't sit right with him to hire a junior who arrived in more style than he did — subtly hinting at the industry's unspoken hierarchies and ego dynamics.
Aamir clarified to Satish Kaushik that the car wasn't his—it just happened to be with him that day because he was running an errand for someone.
He recalled being stunned by the irony of the situation. Despite belonging to a film family, Aamir said he was more accustomed to using public transport and had never relied on any privileges. Yet, that one-off appearance in a car ended up costing him the opportunity.
Despite coming from a film family, Aamir Khan told Satish Kaushik that he usually travelled by public transport. The car he arrived in that day wasn't his—he was just running an errand. Ironically, that brief impression cost him the assistant director job.