He’s a man of many moods. Two of them are determined and dedicated. So when actor-director-producer Aamir Khan read about The Times of India’s Lead India 2009 campaign, he was determined to dedicate his voice, his face and his time to it.In a letter to the TOI editor Aamir wrote, “I woke up on the 3rd of March to a very bold and strongly worded message on the front page of The Times of India. Not only does it reflect the popular mood, it is also provocative in the right way. My sincere hope that it provokes all to get out there and vote against everything that we as a nation are fed up of. If there’s any way that I can be of help to spread the message then just give me a shout.’’Obviously, the man was moved by the message.We met Aamir Khan at a tiny recording studio in Bandra. Dressed in a spotless white kurta-pajama Aamir looked every bit the neta he swears he doesn’t want to be. “Politics is not for me,’’ he says. “I prefer to contribute socially through my work, and as a celebrity, by lending my voice to the cause. I’d prefer to represent the people by taking their wish list and making it public rather than being an elected representative.’’That Aamir is a perfectionist is well known. It wasn’t surprising, then, that once he had decided to be part of Lead India 2009, Aamir put his heart and soul into the project. We thought recording a clip for Radio Mirchi with him would be a quick and easy job. We thought wrong. “This is a positive campaign,’’ he said. “So while the ‘I Swear’ charter and the thought of voting against, not for, is extremely powerful, I’d like to suggest a few changes to my script.’’ Writer Swanand Kirkire (lyricist for Lage Raho Munnabhai, Parineeta and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi) was more than willing to listen. “Let the tone of the monologue make it clear that we’re not supporting one person but the country,’’ Aamir said. “Humein vote dena hai, kisi ka saathnibhane ke liye nahi, balki desh ke liye,’’ he quickly translated. “This way we are not devaluing the public’s vote but actually asking them to come forward and exercise their right.’’ Kirkire nodded in agreement. The director is always right.Absolutely clear that national interest is greater than personal gain, Aamir continued, “Humein vote dena hai har us cheez ke khilaf jo hamare desh ke khilaf hai. (We need to vote against everything that is against the welfare of the country)’’ It was evident that Aamir Khan knew exactly what we at Lead India 2009 stood for.The actual recording was a delight to witness, most of all for the seamless transition between Aamir the actor and Aamir the director. For a 43-second message, Aamir gave more than a dozen takes and retakes. Stopping where he thought his pitch was wrong, inviting opinion when he had to choose between one line and the other, he made impromptu changes even as he spoke.The recording over, we thought it was time to let the busy man get back to his Sunday. But Aamir was not done grilling us. Enthused by Lead India’s idea of spreading awareness about how every single vote counts, he offered ideas on how to make the campaign work. “Maybe you should carry an article on how to make sure the best candidate is elected,’’ he suggested. “For instance, I believe this ‘first past the post’ way of winning elections is not the best way to go about things. Maybe there should be a percentage of votes that is taken into account instead.’’ The man sure knows his politics. “I don’t know how practical it is but maybe voters should be encouraged to spell out their first, second and third choices. Times of India readers can be invited to suggest other options.’’Aamir the actor-director had seamlessly turned into Aamir the guest editor, and we were definitely not complaining. “Once elected, accountability is everything. The public must have the power to assess a politician’s performance midway through his term and recall the candidate if need be,’’ said Aamir.But he was quick to point out that the first step in that direction is to get people to come out and vote, rather than sit home and enjoy the ‘holiday’. “I’m shooting outside Mumbai in the days to come but have specifically asked my director to let me off on voting day so I can come back and cast my vote.’’Aamir is known for his concern for social issues. “We have no respect for some of the most important professionals in the country. Teachers, policemen, IAS officers j u d g e s — t h e y must all be paid better so they take their jobs more seriously and have no reason to resort to corrupt means.’’ Children are the future of any nation and Aamir believes in giving the child every possible facility. “Let students ask questions. Let our schools and teachers be trained to encourage different thinking. And let them know and accept that every child is special.’’ Aamir is serious about making his voice heard. It’s time you make your vote count.
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