Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt recently reflected on how many of his films, including Ghulam and Awara Paagal Deewana, received an ‘A’ certification from the censor board. Speaking on the Cyrus Says podcast with Cyrus Broacha, Vikram was asked whether Awara Paagal Deewana was given an adult certification due to his reputation as a bold filmmaker. He responded, “The film came out 22 years ago, and in the story, Akshay Kumar’s sister dates Aftab, while his wife falls for Suniel Shetty. Maybe the censor board thought it was a lesson in adultery and that I was endorsing it.”
Vikram also spoke about the importance of a director being fully aware on set, stating, “I have to remember everything because questions are coming at you all the time, and some are ridiculous ones.”
In a recent interview with ETimes, Vikram recalled the famous train sequence in Ghulam where Aamir Khan risked his life. He revealed that he had initially suggested using VFX for safety, but Aamir was determined to do it for real.
“I told Aamir, ‘It’s very dangerous. Let’s do it with VFX.’ He responded, ‘Vicky, ho jaayega.’ I insisted, ‘I don’t want you running into a train.’ But Aamir then spoke to the engine driver, asking him to approach at a speed of 20 km/h, and he jumped off the track. Then he asked to increase the speed to 30 km/h. Finally, he decided we’d shoot at 40 km/h. I was uneasy about it but ultimately agreed,” he revealed.
Describing the tense moment, Vikram said, “During the take, the train approached at a speed of 40-45 km/h, and there was no way to stop it in time. Aamir missed the train by just one second. We confirmed this by analysing the footage—where Aamir’s shadow fell on the pole, the train’s shadow appeared exactly 24 frames later. I think Aamir still has that strip of film. He missed the train by just a second. I was extremely distressed.”
However, Aamir’s reaction after the scene left Vikram baffled. “Later, while we were heading home, Aamir said, ‘Vicky, if I were the director, I wouldn’t have let the actor do this stunt.’ I was stunned and asked, ‘What kind of person are you?’ Well, that’s my relationship with Aamir,” he concluded.
