Brand experts say that brand Aamir stands for versatility, refusing to be typecast in any role and commitment to excellence and the lackluster performance of Thugs of Hindostan will not impact it.
It may not have been a great year for Aamir Khan due to the disappointing performance of his big ticket film Thugs of Hindostan, but his apology to the audience went well with many. And brand experts say that this only adds to the actor's brand persona.
Despite making close to Rs 50 crore on opening day, the film could manage to collect Rs 138 crore against its budget of Rs 310 crore.
The actor who turned 54 on March 14, remains timeless for many.
Speaking to Moneycontrol, Vinay Kanchan, Brand Storyteller, Innovation Catalyst and Author said, “What is iconic about Aamir Khan is that it is not easy to forget many of his performances. In 2001 Lagaan and Dil chahta hai released very close to each other, yet his role was very different and he was equally accepted in both.”
And that's why Kanchan thinks that one lackluster performance cannot impact brand Aamir.
After back-to-back hits in 2013 and 2014 with Dhoom 3 earning Rs 260 crore and PK Rs 337 crore, Khan came with a film that broke boundaries with Dangal, which minted Rs 374 crore in India and a whopping Rs 1,200 crore in China, taking the worldwide total to Rs 2,000 crore.
And it didn't stop there. His next venture Secret Superstar opened higher than Dangal at Rs 43 crore.
While Dangal and Secret Superstar made headlines in China, the success story began with 3 Idiots. And after Dangal’s release, the neighbouring country has become one of the most important markets for the Indian film industry.
“If I were to look and analyse brand Aamir, then he stands for three things- versatility, second refusing to be typecast in any role and third is commitment to excellence. And these qualities have endured over the years. They have endured for over two decades. So, I don’t think his brand value will fall post Thugs of Hindostan.”
He added that “audience expects him (Aamir) to experiment. He is the kind of actor that if he comes in any avataar, and if the movie is half decent, the audience will give it a viewing.”
Aamir is currently seen advertising the new VivoV15pro and he was last seen in the Star India channel package campaign alongside actor Pankaj Tripathi.
“He is choosy about the brands and I don’t think he has put himself there with the intention of taking on too many brands. He wants to be selective and that has worked for him,” said Kanchan.
Remembering the Coca-Cola campaign, he said,"I still remember the endorsement of Coca-Cola done by Aamir Khan. It was one of the most memorable campaigns done in the country because it used Aamir Khan in the way he likes to be in. He was playing different characters and he really brought the proposition alive."
Kanchan also thinks that what he (Aamir) does, he does so with great consideration. “He is not somebody you see too much and it is part of his charm. The more elusive a person is the more status you tend to give to that person.”
But with no films slated for release this year what will it mean for the actor in the endorsement space?
According to Kanchan, the actor may not be even worried about the endorsements as he is more worried about the legacy he is going to leave behind.
“I don’t think Aamir Khan is playing the endorsement game to that extent. I am sure if he really went out he will get enough but I don’t think he wants to be associated with too many things.”
While there are no sure shot releases of Aamir Khan anytime soon he is working on many projects.
There's a remake of Forrest Gump, a Tom Hanks film in the pipeline and he is even working on another project for which he is going for a lean look.
“He does everything with meticulous precision and I am sure he is looking for his next movie to become a blockbuster to come in the public eye,” believes Kanchan.
