Rajkumar Hirani on Aamir and Arshad’s acting styles

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani recently shed light on the contrasting working styles of Aamir Khan and Arshad Warsi, emphasizing how actors have their own unique approaches to performing. While Aamir is known for his meticulous preparation, Warsi thrives on spontaneity and improvisation.
Speaking on the Game Changers YouTube podcast, Hirani revealed that Aamir has a structured method for memorizing dialogues. He listens to the script carefully, asks questions, and then writes down all his lines by hand. This helps him internalize them, ensuring he delivers them naturally without stress. The director shared that he would rehearse multiple times with Aamir before shooting, so by the time they were on set, they had a clear vision of how the scene would play out. Boman Irani, Hirani noted, follows a similar approach.
On the other hand, Arshad Warsi’s process is entirely different. The actor, known for his iconic role as Circuit in the Munna Bhai films, prefers to improvise his lines rather than sticking to the script verbatim. Hirani recalled discovering this on the first day of shooting, when Warsi’s dialogue delivery deviated from the script. Initially, the director asked him to say the lines exactly as written, but the result was less effective. Hirani then realized that allowing Warsi to bring his natural rhythm and humor to the performance made his acting more authentic.

He explained that while scripted lines can sometimes sound theatrical, real-life conversations are filled with pauses and fumbles. Warsi’s ability to adapt the dialogues while maintaining their essence added a layer of realism to his characters. This experience, Hirani said, taught him the importance of adapting to an actor’s individual process rather than forcing them into a rigid framework.