Bollywood actor-filmmer and host of socially-relevant TV show "Satyamev Jayate", Aamir Khan says he is "sad like every Indian" due to the state of the country's political system, but stressed that change will only come when people stop voting for criminals contesting elections.

"I wish and hope that political parties rise above this and stop giving tickets to criminals. Ultimately, the change will come when people stop voting for criminals," Aamir said here during the NDTV Indian of the Year Awards Tuesday.

He does not like the way people end up voting, but he said that he does understand why they end up casting a vote for the people they do.

"What I don't understand is that why political parties give a ticket to criminals," he said.

The election season is currently on, and Aamir, who took up the matter of criminalisation of politics on "Satyamev Jayate 2", said "that this election, political parties have not risen above it".


"I am sad, like every Indian," he added.

On the stage for the Public Service session, Aamir was joined by social activist Aruna Roy and S.Y. Quraishi, former the chief election commissioner.

Aamir also gave away the NDTV Indian of the Year award for Public Service to two organisations - Association for Democratic Reforms and PRS Legislative Research.