Aamir Khan was born into a well established and reputable family in the Indian motion picture industry. His father, Tahir Hussain, was a movie producer, while his uncle, Nasir Hussain, was a Producer, Actor, and Director.
At the age of 8, Aamir Khan began his film career, as a child actor in a home production - 'Yaadon Ki Baaraat'. He also acted in 'Madhosh' in 1974. He then made his adult acting debut, almost 11 years later in a role that went quite unnoticed in Ketan Mehta's ‘Holi’.
Aamir Khan's ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ (1988) which was directed by his cousin and Nasir Hussain's son, Mansoor Khan was a breakthrough commercial success, effectively launching Khan's career as a leading actor and bestowing him with instant stardom. His superlative performances in critically acclaimed movies like 'Raakh' (for which he bagged his first National Award for Special Jury Award) were instrumental in creating a lasting impression amongst audiences. He then went on to appear in several other films in the late '80s and early '90s: 'Dil', 'Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin', 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar', 'Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke' (for which he also wrote the screenplay), and 'Rangeela'.
In the year 2001, he set up a production company known as Aamir Khan Productions. Its first film was ‘Lagaan’, which sent his career skyrocketing. It bestowed not only regional success, but gave him worldwide exposure with a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards. It also garnered critical acclaim at several international film festivals and won numerous Indian awards, including the National Film Awards.
Aamir Khan launched himself as a Director and Producer in addition to acting with his film ‘Taare Zameen Par’, which received a lot of critical acclaim. As an actor, he continued to have phenomenal successes, with ‘Ghajini’ and '3 Idiots' - Bollywood’s biggest commercial success to date.
2012 saw Aamir Khan’s evolution as a host, aptly establishing himself with the highly anticipated show 'Satyamev Jayate' that focused on various social issues like female foeticide, child sexual abuse and dowry, plaguing Indian society.
With a consistent string of critically acclaimed as well as commercial successes, Aamir Khan is one of the most sought-after and well-respected leading actors in Bollywood. However, the quiet and unassuming star refused to take on too many commercial projects, choosing to act in just one or two films a year, an unusual trait for a mainstream Hindi cinema actor. This intense approach to acting which involves complete dedication to a single project at a time has become a trend setter in the industry.
Born on: 14 March, 1965
Born in: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Height: 5' 6"
Nickname(s): Tom Hanks of India