Aamir Khan: What drove the Bollywood star to social activism?

How does one of India’s biggest film stars end up sharing a sofa with women who have endured rape, abuse and forced foeticide? And then come to terms with the industry he’s part of, and the way it treats women?

Aamir Khan is one of the most popular and influential Bollywood actors in India today. He became a star of Hindi cinema in the 1980s and went on to star in some of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all time. The most notable internationally, “Lagaan”, earned an Oscar nomination in 2001. In 2012, Khan took a break from acting and, together with a childhood friend, created a TV series called “Satyamev Jayate“ which became the first prime-time television show in India to discuss the country’s most critical social issues – from rape to dowry killings.

Al Jazeera’s Witness film, “The Snake Charmer” follows Khan on a journey through India’s TV and film industry as he attempts to change the way Indians perceive and treat women. The filmmakers join The Stream to take your questions. 

On this episode of The Stream, we speak with:

Nina Maria Paschalidou
Director and co-producer, The Snake Charmer
foresttroop.com

Dr-Nidhi Shendurnikar Tere @iamnotasecular
Assistant Professor of Journalism and Communication, The M.S.University of Baroda

Raksha Kumar @Raksha_Kumar
Freelance multimedia journalist
rakshakumar.com

Prerana Thakurdesai @preranatd
Filmmaker/journalist

Read more:

“The Snake Charmer” – Al Jazeera Witness 
With ‘Secret Superstar,’ Aamir Khan And Kiran Rao Make A Bet That Pays Off In Social Value – Forbes

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