by Subhash K Jha

He has crossed 40. But in Rang De Basanti Aamir Khan plays a youngster half his real age, supposedly a college student sharing his dreams, aspirations and ambitions with a bunch of other like-minded youngsters.

"Why not?" questions director Rakeysh Mehra.

"When you see the film, you'll see how convincing Aamir is in the role. As usual, he worked really hard to get the look and feelings right. Aamir put himself under a rigorous regimen for the role. He lost more than fifteen kgs, slept well, exercised and kept himself in a lithe shape all through. I can't think of any other actor who would go to these lengths."

Khan has played a guy almost half his real age, in Dil Chahta Hai, too. Then, Aamir said, "I think I can pull off the age that I'm supposed to be in DCH. If I thought I couldn't, I wouldn't have accepted it." This time too, the same applies? Aamir only does what he is convinced about.

"And let me tell you, he isn't a college student in Rang De Basanti," Rakeysh confides. "Aamir plays a guy five years out of college. While Soha, Sharman Joshi, the Tamil-Telugu star Siddhartha and Kunal Kapoor play college kids, Aamir and Madhavan fall in an older bracket."