Aamir Khan Breaks Silence on Casting Fatima Sana Shaikh as His Love Interest Post-Dangal

Aamir Khan on Thugs of Hindostan, Fatima Sana Shaikh Casting, and Why the Film Failed.

Aamir Khan has never shied away from taking responsibility for his cinematic missteps—and Thugs of Hindostan is one he continues to reflect on with candour. Despite its star power and massive budget, the 2018 film failed to impress. In a recent interview with The Lallantop, Aamir opened up about what went wrong—from casting challenges to creative disagreements that left him feeling disconnected from the final product.

Why No One Wanted the Female Lead
According to Aamir, one of the earliest red flags was the struggle to cast the film’s female lead. “We offered the role to almost every top actress—Deepika, Alia, Shraddha—but no one said yes,” he revealed. When asked if the script’s shortcomings were to blame, he admitted, “That could have been a factor.”

Eventually, Fatima Sana Shaikh—who had played his daughter in Dangal—was cast, but her selection led to further complications.

‘Main asal mein thodi uska baap hun’
With Aamir now playing Fatima’s romantic interest, concerns arose over audience perception. The film’s director ultimately decided to remove the love story altogether, arguing that viewers wouldn’t accept the transition from a father-daughter relationship to a romantic one.

Aamir disagreed. “I don’t buy that logic. Main asal mein thodi uska baap hun, na asal mein uska boyfriend. We’re actors, and we’re telling a story,” he said. “Audiences are smarter than we give them credit for.”

He cited previous films to make his point, insisting that emotional intelligence and storytelling should matter more than off-screen associations.

A Film That Lost Its Shape
One of Aamir’s main grievances was how drastically the script changed over time. “The film we ended up making wasn’t the one I had signed up for,” he said. “It changed so much, I could barely recognise it.”

Despite his reservations, the producer was optimistic. “Aditya Chopra called me after seeing the first cut and said, ‘You’ve made a brilliant film. You don’t know what you’ve created.’” But Aamir felt otherwise.

“I told them honestly—I didn’t understand the film. They thought I was joking at first, but I was serious. I knew it wouldn’t work. Not even for a day.”

Creative Control—and the Lack of It
Aamir also revealed that he tried to raise concerns during production, but his input wasn’t always welcomed. “I fought with them almost every day, saying the structure was wrong. But at the end of the day, it was Vijay’s film to direct and Aditya’s to produce. I couldn’t force my way.”

One major change he disagreed with was dropping a bold early twist: the original plan to kill off Amitabh Bachchan’s character at the interval. “It would’ve been a big moment,” Aamir noted, “but they decided against it.”

Lessons Learned
While Thugs of Hindostan may not have lived up to expectations, Aamir’s reflection on its journey reveals a deeper truth: even the biggest stars, with the best intentions, aren’t immune to misfires—especially when instinct and execution fall out of sync.