At the launch event of the song “Papa Kehte Hain 2.0” from Rajkummar Rao’s upcoming film “Srikanth,” Bollywood actor Aamir Khan took a nostalgic trip down memory lane to the making of his debut movie, “Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak” (QSQT). Aamir, who rose to fame with the iconic song “Papa Kehte Hain” from the film, spoke fondly of the early days of QSQT and the immense support they received from veteran filmmaker Nasir Hussain.
“When we were making this film, the way Nasir Saab supported us since Mansoor Khan was making his first film. All of us in that film were new. It was DOP Kiran Deohans’ first film. Music directors Anand-Milind were new, and so were Juhi Chawla, Udit Narayan, and Alka Yagnik. All of us were starting our careers,” Aamir recalled.
Despite the uncertainties that come with a debut project, Aamir admitted, “We didn’t know whether we would succeed or not. Whenever Mansoor and I watched the film we only noticed its flaws.” However, the film’s release marked a turning point. “But the film was released one day and it was wonderful to see the journey it had. I like to believe ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ is a milestone in Indian cinema. From 1988 onwards, you can see the shift happening. And Mansoor was the first director to make that happen. So, it’s a special film for me in every way,” he expressed.
Transitioning to the present, Aamir drew parallels between the film’s themes and the challenges individuals face in life. Referring to the film’s protagonist Rajkummar Rao, Aamir stated, “Raj was saying that when he met Srikanth he felt, “Oh wow, what a guy.” The important thing in this is that the dice of life could go wrong every now and then. You could be born with a challenge or you’ll face a challenge as you grow, but how do we respond to that challenge, how Srikanth and his family responded to that challenge, tells us that at different times there are challenges and how we respond to them, this film teaches us that you have to be strong, and if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything. And this is what I am looking forward to in this film.”
Directed by Tushar Hiranandani and written by Jagdeep Sidhu and Sumit Purohit, “Srikanth” is slated for a theatrical release on May 10.
