‘Aamir is terribly vulnerable’

It was Nuzhat’s son, Imran Khan, who was given a debut break in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na by her brothers, Mansoor and Aamir. For the uninitiated, Nuzhat and Mansoor are the children of famed film-maker Nasir Husain, while their cousin Aamir is Husain’s younger brother Tahir’s son.

For Nuzhat, however, Aamir is a brother too. “We have been pretty close since childhood,” she says. So understandably, the older sister is very protective about Aamir.
“I hate it when people say Aamir is a perfectionist with a snigger as if it is the wrong thing to do. I would say not many can be like him, even if they want to. Aamir has been passionate about everything that he did, since childhood. Whatever he takes up, he dives into it with all his concentration and his honesty shows. He cannot do anything in a mediocre manner,” she says.

As an example, Nuzhat remembers when Aamir was about 15-16 years old, he took up badminton with Mansoor. “He got so involved in it, he put in so much passion and effort into it, that he won many awards at the junior state level. I remember he wouldn’t miss practice for a single day — even when he was fasting during Ramzan he continued with the practice.” Later, of course, Aamir had to quit badminton in favour of making a debut in the Mansoor-directed Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.

The doting sister lets out a secret. “We are a private family so we don’t really like talking too much about each other. But I must let you in on a secret. Aamir has a huge heart, and only people close to him know about this. People might look at him as this calculative guy, but the truth is, he will do anything for the people he loves. In fact, whatever decisions he makes personally and professionally, he thinks from his heart, even though when they become successful, they look like calculated risks. But they are not. In fact, I am surprised that in spite of being in the public eye for so long, he has not turned into a manipulative person and still relies on his heart. I hope this quality of his is imbibed by my son Imran,” she says.
“Also, I want him to learn from his Aamir mamu never to compromise on what he truly believes in and what he thinks is right. I know for sure whatever Aamir has done till date, it’s always what he felt was right; he has never buckled under any kind of pressure,” she says.

As a brother, Nuzhat says, “Aamir never tries imposing his views on you. He accepts whatever decisions I have taken in life.” Nuzhat though has one wish for her brother. “He is terribly vulnerable with people he is close to. I hope he remains like that,” she ends.