Aamir employed a unique marketing technique
A clip showing Aamir Khan promoting his first major release went viral on TikTok.
Aamir debuted in Bollywood as a leading man with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). It also launched Juhi Chawla.
The film was directed by Mansoor Khan and produced by veteran filmmaker Nasir Hussain.
Aamir employed a unique marketing technique for the film. During the late 1980s, media promotions and digital trailers were non-existent.
Paper advertisements and word-of-mouth were the key promotions for any film.
The TikTok clip showed Aamir Khan and a few friends stopping rickshaws and taxis and asking permission to stick posters of the film on the vehicles.
The chartbuster ‘Papa Kehte Hai‘, sung by Udit Narayan, plays in the background.
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was a mega-blockbuster and it catapulted both Aamir and Juhi to instant fame.
Viewers fell in love with Aamir’s romantic persona in this fresh film that proved instrumental in bringing fandom back to Indian cinema, which was going through a rough patch at the time.
The industry was sagging amid a slew of unpopular action films.
@filmymantra Aamir Khan Promotes His First Movie QSQT By Pasting Posters Himself! #AamirKhan #bollywoodactor #bollywoodstars #QSQT #1stmovie #flashback #filmymantra
For Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Aamir won the 1989 Filmfare award for ‘Best Male Debut’.
Aamir Khan delved into the impact the film’s success had on him as a new actor.
He said: “People would just come everywhere to see me. I couldn’t walk on the road.
“I did a successful film. But I didn’t have a car.
“I used to travel by autorickshaw or bus, but after a point, I couldn’t.
“So I used to ask my uncle, ‘Can I borrow your car, I have to go somewhere and there are people everywhere I go’.”
Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the film was a tragic love story between young characters from warring families.
Fans were quick to comment on the TikTok clip.
One user pointed out the identity of one of the people helping Aamir in the video:
“Guy with him is Raj Zutshi – he played the role of Aamir’s cousin in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.”
Another gushed: “I remember him like this when I just fell in love with him!”
A third added: “So handsome – if the word ‘beautiful’ could be used for men, I’ll definitely say this for him.”
On the work front, Aamir Khan was last seen in Salaam Venky (2022) in which he had a guest appearance.
He will next star in Sitaare Zameen Par which is scheduled to be released during Christmas 2024.
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