Aamir goes retro for new commercial

Although he’s yet to sign any new film as an actor, Aamir Khan is ensuring that his audience continues to see him play diverse characters. Thanks to the commercials for the various brands he endorses, the perfectionist is making sure that neither his histrionics nor his versatility is missed. In the forthcoming campaign for Tata Sky, the 44-year-old actor has opted for a retro look for his roles as a barber and a shopkeeper in two new ads.

Talking about the commercials, Khan says they are more challenging than films. “It’s difficult to bring out the character in the limited time span of an ad, unlike a film,” he reasons, adding that experimenting with roles and looks is another advantage. “The director has his storyboard, but you also give your suggestions and work together to build the character and widen its appeal.”

Apart from the look, another common aspect of his roles — as a barber and shopkeeper — is that they both are only interested in giving the customer what they like. Interestingly, the barber hooks his sunglasses behind his collar like Salman Khan in Dabangg. “The idea was to make him look like the shopkeepers in Delhi, complete with a paunch and Punjabi accent,” he says, smiling off the inspiration.

So while the barber gives his own creative hairstyle to a customer, the shopkeeper gets his staffers to dress up an office-goer in a pink shirt and yellow trousers even as he pleads for a simple white shirt. Explaining the concept of the ads, Khan says, “If we tell the barber and shopkeeper about the haircut and clothes we want, why should we choose channels as per the service providers’ wishes? The best thing about the ads is the punch and humour.”

All praise for Amit Roy, who shot the ads, Khan says, “Amit is not only particular about the details of the performance, but also about the commercial in its entirety. Besides, he contributes a lot to my performance as an actor too.”