Aamir Khan reveals how Rajkumar Hirani convinced him to join '3 Idiots': 'I told Raju, people will laugh at me'

Aamir Khan discussed his initial hesitation about playing a college student in '3 Idiots'. He confessed that he was initially reluctant, worried that portraying an 18-year-old at the age of 44 might appear unrealistic on screen.
At a recent India Today event, Aamir shared how Rajkumar Hirani's determination convinced him to join '3 Idiots'. Khan recalled his initial reluctance, saying, “I was completely against doing it. Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) kept insisting, but I told him, ‘The story is great, but why do you want me in it? I’m over 40! Cast an 18-year-old instead.’ The script resonated with me, but I felt it would make more sense with three young actors. However, Raju was adamant, he wanted me. I told him, ‘Raju, it will look strange if I walk into college carrying books. People will laugh at me, we’ll become a national joke!’ I was genuinely scared".
He recalled his worry about playing as an 18-year-old, despite being over 40. He shared, “Just a day before the shoot, I even warned Raju, ‘We start filming tomorrow, so think it over once more.’ Playing an 18-year-old when the whole world knew I was over 40 was scary. "Everyone knew how long I had been in the industry".
Khan revealed what convinced him to accept the role and said, "Finally, the reason I said yes to Raju was that he saw something in me that I couldn’t see in myself at the time. I have always admired him as a director and had never worked with him before. Normally, I don’t rely on anyone else’s judgment when choosing films as I always go with what I want to do. The script was great, but my only concern was my age. I kept wondering why he was so adamant about casting me."
The actor decided to trust Rajkumar's vision, noting that Hirani believed in the film's central philosophy of chasing excellence over success. The filmmaker pointed out that Aamir's career choices embodied this philosophy, which would make his portrayal believable on screen. Additionally, Hirani reassured Aamir that he looked young enough for the role, and Aamir worked hard to embody the character's curious and dynamic mindset.