We all know Aamir Khan as “Mr Perfectionist”, the actor who dives headfirst into every role with laser focus. But do you know that this nickname wasn’t born on a film set or handed out by the media? The story behind this nickname is rather interesting and has nothing to do with his acting prowess.

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Who named Aamir Khan “Mr Perfectionist”?

Aamir Khan was once visiting Shabana Azmi and Baba Azmi (Shabana’s brother) at their home. The two men were deep in conversation — probably discussing cinema, politics or poetry (as one would with the Azmi family). In the middle of their intense conversation, Shabana served them both a cup of tea and asked Aamir how much sugar he’d like.

Now, most people would say “one spoon”, “two spoons”, or “none, thanks”. But Aamir? He was so absorbed in the discussion that the question took a few seconds to register. Then, with complete sincerity, he turned to her and asked, “How big is the cup?” Shabana, amused, showed him the cup. Without missing a beat, he followed up with, “How big is the spoon?”

That’s the moment Shabana Azmi labelled him “Mr Perfectionist” — and the name stuck. Not because of his method acting or physical transformations, but because even in the smallest of things, like sugar in tea, Aamir likes to get it just right.

Aamir Khan is currently working on his upcoming production Sitaare Zameen Par, a sequel to Taare Zameen Par. It is based on the Spanish film, Champions. The movie stars Genelia Deshmukh alongside Aamir Khan and is co-produced by Kiran Rao. After taking a brief break after Laal Singh Chaddha, it’s clear he’s returning with projects close to his heart — and as always, he’s making sure every detail is just right. Classic Aamir.

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