Lagaan, Delhi Belly, Dhobi Ghaat: 8 films produced by Aamir Khan that you need to watch

For years, Aamir Khan has been known for being part of family entertainers that have also delivered social messages. While the actor has delivered some memorable performances, he has also produced some terrific movies. Here, take a look:

Ashutosh Gowariker had reportedly run pillar to post to make Lagaan before Aamir Khan agreed to play the lead role and decided to produce it. The rest, as they say, is history. The film was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars 2002 and won numerous accolades and awards in India. A story set in pre-Independent India, the film had a group of farmers beating a team of Englishmen in a Cricket match to get their taxes waived off. The film remains iconic to this date.

Aamir Khan’s directorial debut was not the usual run-of-the-mill Bollywood fair but instead talked about Ishaan, a dyslexic boy who slips into depression when sent to boarding school by his parents. His art teacher, Nikumbh Sir (Khan) taps his true talent in painting and makes his family realise his true potential. Taare Zameen Par tug at heart strings and was a tear-jerker, but led to important conversations around dyslexia.

Aamir Khan’s former wife Kiran Rao made her directorial debut with this one. An avant-garde film that explored four individuals’ lives in the city of Mumbai. Considered as an art film, Dhobi Ghaat was longlisted for the 65th BAFTA Awards in the Best Film Not in the English Language category. The film featured Aamir Khan along with Monica Dogra, Prateik Babbar, and Kriti Malhotra.

Bollywood only English dark comedy so far- Delhi Belly was a riot. Aamir’s then-wife Kiran Rao had found the script from a pile of scripts in Aamir’s office. Writer Akshat Verma was reportedly sceptical that the film would ruin Aamir Khan Productions’ clean family films image, but Aamir managed to secure an A certificate for the film. The situational dark comedy featured Imran Khan, Vir Das, Poorna Jagannathan, and Kunal Roy Kapur.

Imran Khan’s debut feature film also featured Genelia D’Souza and was a college romance -coming of age dramedy. Directed by Abbas Tyrewala, the film is still remembered for its fresh, realistic take on friendship, college life, and sibling bonding.

The most experimental Aamir Khan has been while producing a film. Director Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live was a clever satire on farmer suicide and the media and political circus that ensued later on. A hard-hitting drama, the film had brilliant performances by actors like Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Naseeruddin Shah, Raghubir Yada,v and Shalini Vatsa.

Soon after the success of Dangal, Zaira Wasim starred in Secret Superstar – a heartwarming film directed by Advait Chandan. The film narrates the story of a teenage girl who harbours a dream to become a singer and starts a YouTube channel but keeps her identity a secret. The film dealt with social issues including feminism, gender equality, and domestic violence. The film received overall positive reviews from critics and won multiple awards, including the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement for Wasim.

Kiran Rao returned to direction after a long hiatus with Laapataa Ladies, a heartwarming tale about two missing brides that was equal parts funny and equal parts emotional. Featuring newcomers Sparsh Srivastava, Pratibha Ranta, and Nitanshi Goel along with Chhaya Kadam and Ravi Kishan, Laapata Ladies talked of self-reliance, women's empowerment, and the importance of education. The film was India’s official entry to the Best International Film category at the Oscars 2025 but did not make it to the final list.