We`ve had the likes of Shyam Benegal, Shekhar Kapoor and Shabana Azmi before, who`ve earned international recognition from Bollywood. But it wasn`t until Aamir Khan that the world acknowledged our desi versions of storytelling.

Beaming after the Locarno Film Festival for which he was on the jury, Aamir is dismissive of his own popularity at the festival where he received close to five film offers from European film makers.

"Most of them had seen my film Lagaan and gave me positive feedback for our efforts," he says. "But what gives me more pleasure is that I was able to dispel the myth that we don`t make films that the rest of the world can`t comprehend - that was my triumph." That`s Aamir for you - forthcoming, honest, self-effacing with his feet firmly on the ground.