Aamir Khan is a better actor than Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan – from Dangal to 3 Idiots, these 5 Bollywood movies prove it

Mar 12 , 2021

Which are Aamir Khan’s top five movies? From QSQT to Dangal, here’s a look at some of the Bollywood’s star’s most memorable roles. Photos: @aamirplanet/Instagram

Sitting high on Bollywood’s A-list – he’s also one of the Big Three with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan – Aamir Khan has dominated the silver screen for over 30 years, but is the kind of celebrity who likes to keep things low-key.

The actor, who turns 56 on March 14, is also famous for insisting on committing to only one film per year – unique in an industry so prolific it churns out hundreds annually. Given the nickname “The Perfectionist” by his fans (he has 26.7 million followers on Twitter and 3.5 million on Instagram), Aamir has often said the devil is in the details, and it is probably why most of his movies tend to be blockbusters.

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During the pandemic, Aamir has been busy working on his upcoming drama Laal Singh Chaddha, scheduled for release in December 2021 (after a year’s delay). Details are scarce but it is reportedly inspired by Tom Hanks’ 1994 Oscar-winning drama Forrest Gump. Starring alongside Aamir is the always bankable Kareena Kapoor; the pair last worked together in 2009’s 3 Idiots.

While we await Aamir’s next movie, here’s a look at five of his best films, ranked – something of a challenge given the star’s enormous catalogue of work and the fact that his diehard fans probably have killer lists of their own. Collectively, we’d venture this list settles the greatest Bollywood debate of them all: who’s the most versatile actor of the Big Three?

5. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)

His first film with a starring role, and a bona fide classic. This romantic tragedy, directed by Aamir’s cousin Mansoor Khan, is a tale of two feuding families who forbid – in cold blood, literally – the relationship between their defiant heirs (Aamir and Juhi Chawla play the star-crossed lovers). Aamir became a heartthrob overnight, a position he maintained for years in the face of stiff competition from Salman and Shah Rukh.

4. 3 Idiots (2009)

It’s impossible not to include 3 Idiots on any “Best of Aamir”. Supported by a stellar cast, from R Madhavan to Kareena, the comedy was a runaway hit. Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone (2004) and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, it follows the capers of three university students while taking aim at India’s educational system. Aamir is delightful as the ever-optimistic Rancho, who gamely applies his knowledge to everyday crises and teaches his friends the true meaning of success.

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3. Dangal (2016)

Aamir takes on the mantle of an ambitious wrestler with three daughters in Dangal. He trains his girls in the sport, pushing them to win national tournaments and take on the Commonwealth Games, along the way delivering a (cinematic) blow to India’s rigid patriarchal system. Co-produced by Disney India and Aamir Khan Productions, Dangal was a superhit, and China fell in love with the film, too, where it raked in US$216 million.

2. Rang De Basanti (2006)

This film nearly made it to first place! Directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Rang De Basanti is about a group of university students spurred to patriotism by a British film student making a documentary about India’s revolutionary fighters. Tackling sociopolitical corruption, the film resonated with millions of Indians. Aamir delivers a heart-wrenching performance (if that final scene doesn’t have you bawling like a child, you are made of stone).

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1. Lagaan (2001)

Top of the charts! Lagaan won best film at India’s Filmfare Awards, where Aamir was named best actor; it was also nominated for best foreign language film at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002. Director Ashutosh Gowariker took two disparate topics – cricket and India’s zamindar (land revenue) system – and created a transfixing saga about patriotism, love and betrayal, set to a fabulous soundtrack by Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire). The film was produced by Aamir and narrated by none other than Amitabh Bachchan.

Honourable mention: Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

With Aamir and Salman in the lead roles, Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna is a meandering, mad-cap movie about swapped identities, rich heiresses and gold-digging opportunists. Aamir, an inveterate comedy genius, outshines Salman in practically every scene. Magnificent in its silliness and boasting fine turns by Paresh Rawal, Shakti Kapoor, Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor (Kareena’s sister), the film didn’t do very well at the box office but is considered a cult classic.

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Asian cinema: Bollywood

It’s the greatest Bollywood debate: who is the most versatile of the Big Three? From Lagaan to Rang De Basanti, this list should settle it once and for all
After three decades in the business, Aamir Khan has earned the nickname ‘The Perfectionist’ for a reason – and should be crowned the King of the Khans