Aamir Khan apologises for Dhobi Ghat title

Mumbai: With his latest home production Dhobi Ghat releasing worldwide tomorrow, actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan today apologised to Rajak (washermen) community if he had unintentionally hurt their sentiments with the title.

Addressing a press conference, Aamir said people living in large cities do not understand the negative aspect of caste system in the hinterland.

"I believe in valuing other people's emotions, but not at the cost of compromising my creativity," he added.

Aamir said members of the Akhil Bharatiya Dhobi Mahasangh met him recently and voiced their resentment over the title.

"Initially, I thought they wanted to trouble me on the eve of my film's release. But, later I realised that their views were genuine. I told them that I would not have chosen the title if they had approached me a year earlier," he said.

Amit Khatri, General secretary of the Mahasangh's youth cell who was also present at the press conference said 'Dhobi' was a casteist reference.

"In many places, people of certain castes are looked down upon. We wondered how our community has been portrayed in the film. When we saw it, we realised that the film was not about the community but the famous Dhobi Ghat place in Mumbai," Khatri said.

However, the Mahasangh officials first insisted that the title should be changed. Aamir had agreed saying that he would do it even though he would suffer financially.

"We did not want him to suffer loss because of us. He understood our feelings and that was important. So we decided not to pursue the demand for title change," Khatri said.

Krishan Kumar Kanojia, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Dhobi Samaj, Mumbai, said the film is respectful to the community and the lead character is presented well.

To a question if the Mahasangh will demand change in the name of Dhobi Ghat, a landmark heritage place in Mumbai, Khatri said it was merely a place where the profession of washing clothes is carried out.

Aamir said, "We never realise that an issue which looks ordinary to us may cause immense pain to someone else."

Film's writer-director Kiran Rao said she was unaware of the importance a caste has outside big cities. "The Censor Board had also asked us about the title but they understood that it did not refer to any caste but a place," Kiran said.

She said she conceived the title first, before writing the script. "It was a metaphor for Mumbai where people of all languages, economic status, regions live together and are changed and renewed after staying here," she added.

"We live in a complex country where the caste system exists and certain communities are subjected to terrible conditions. Most of us are disconnected with what goes on the heartlands," she added.

Aamir said Dhobi Ghat will release with 350 screens in India and 170 screens overseas.