Aamir Khan rejected Shah Rukh Khan's Swades because he found Ashutosh Gowariker's 3-hour narration boring: ‘It was titled Kaveri Amma'
Aamir Khan made history in 2002 when his blockbuster period sports drama Lagaan got nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the Academy Awards. While the whole Hindi film industry warned Aamir against making a film set in a village, on cricket, and with him wearing a dhoti, Aamir chose to ride on the conviction of an unsuccessful director like Ashutosh Gowariker. He even turned producer for the film.
It was natural that Gowariker would make his next film with Aamir. And he did pitch his 2004 cult social drama Swades to Aamir, only for the latter to reject it. 'I found it very boring,' said Aamir. 'I had said this to Ashu when he narrated the story to me. In fact, I'll tell you Ashu narrated the story to me when we were making Lagaan. It was titled Kaveri Amma then. That's what he told me,' added Aamir.
Kaveri Amma was the name of protagonist Mohan Bhargava's foster mother in the film, and it was essayed by late Kishori Ballal. Aamir recalled what exactly happened then, in an interview with Zoom. 'I had liked the story very much. I said we'd make that one after Lagaan. After Lagaan released, we made Ashu sit with a writer. AKP (Aamir Khan Productions) was producing it,' said Aamir.
'When the story was ready, Ashu narrated it to me. It was a three hour-long narration. When he asked me how I liked it, I said I want to tell you my first reaction first. I said, 'I got bored. It's very important for you to hear this reaction. What you're trying to say is very correct, noble, and important, but if you say it in such a boring manner… I got bored, I don't know about everyone else.'' Aamir recalled.
He revealed he said no to Gowariker unless he can make Swades more interesting. 'I've actually not seen the film yet. Maybe he'd have corrected it and people would've liked it then. I did note that people loved Shah Rukh's work in it,' said Aamir. Mohan Bhargava was eventually played by Shah Rukh Khan, in what's considered one of his best performances till date.
Swades, eventually co-produced by Gowariker and UTV Motion Pictures, revolved around Mohan Bhargava, a scientist at NASA who returns to his native village in India and ends up reconnecting with his roots and relocating to his homeland. It also starred Gayatri Joshi in her debut role opposite Shah Rukh.
Also Read — Aamir Khan says he was asked to do an action film after Laal Singh Chaddha failure: 'I had many offers, but story of Sitaare Zameen Par entered my bloodstream'
Aamir recently also confessed he hasn't also watched Shah Rukh's last two blockbusters — Siddharth Anand's spy thriller Pathaan and Atlee's action thriller Jawan, both of which released in 2023. 'I really loved Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is one of my favourite films of his,' Aamir said of Shah Rukh's films at a recent event.
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