Aamir Khan on ‘chauvinistic’ films doing well at the box office: 'Not nice, pushed us back by a decade'

In a recent interview, actor Aamir Khan shared that he feels while society has progressed, elements of patriarchy still remain ingrained somewhere.

Aamir Khan is not okay with some films promoting a chauvinistic image of what a man should be. In a new interview, the actor shared he doesn’t endorse patriarchy as it pushes one back by decades.

Aamir Khan will soon get a honour at Red Sea Film Festival.

Aamir Khan opens up

During an interview with BBC Asian Network, Aamir spoke about some films encouraging a more chauvinistic image of what a man should be. He was asked how he felt about it.

To which, Aamir said, “Not nice. It pushes us back a decade. So that's sad. I wish we didn't see that, but that's part of life. The fact is that each one has their own opinion. People have different opinions. A lot of people endorse patriarchy in a strong way, a lot of people endorse patriarchy in a very hidden way. So that's something that we have to deal with”.

Aamir has often used stories to put the spotlight on issues such as domestic violence and abusive marriage, be it Secret Superstar or Laapataa Ladies. Aamir feels that while society has progressed, elements of patriarchy still remain ingrained somewhere.

“They won't go away overnight. These are deep-rooted concepts. A lot of males are very insecure. We live in a patriarchal society where a lot of men believe that they have the power to decide how much independence should be given to the women around them. And that's not so nice, but I feel that these are things that will gradually change. And stories can really change people's hearts. You can try and convince a person in an argument with logic. But that only goes so far. Emotionally convincing a person through stories and characters touch people's hearts in ways,” he added.

Aamir Khan to get a special honour

Aamir Khan will be honoured at the Red Sea Film Festival. The 2024 Red Sea Film Festival is set to take place from December 5-14 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Other global cinematic talents which will get the honour include names such as Oscar-nominated actor Emily Blunt and Egyptian screen legend Mona Zaki.

Aamir expressed his gratitude for the recognition, stating, "Cinema has been my lifelong passion, and to be amidst such an inspiring group of artists from across the world is truly humbling," as per Deadline.

Meanwhile, Aamir is busy lobbying Laapataa Ladies, which is India's official entry for the Oscars 2025. It has been renamed Lost Ladies for the international stage. The film's team recently started their Academy Awards campaignht en and even got the support of director Alfonso Cuaron.