Bollywood star Aamir Khan is preparing for the release of his new film “Sitaare Zameen Par”, which will hit cinemas on June 20.

The trailer has drawn attention for a scene in which Aamir’s on-screen mother calls him a “tingu”, referencing his short height.

In a recent interview with Just Too Filmy, Aamir opened up about his insecurities early in his career, admitting he was once nervous about his stature.

“At the beginning of my career, I was very afraid. Amit ji was number one, and he was over six feet tall. Vinod ji, Shatrughan Sinha—all were very tall. So I was nervous, thinking choti height ke actor ki kuch daal galegi ki nahi galegi (whether a short actor like me would even stand a chance). I was very concerned about that. But as it turned out, it was fine,” he shared.

Amitabh Bachchan replies to troll who warned him about sleep

When asked whether he is now more comfortable making light of himself—especially with the “tingu” remark in the film—Aamir responded, “Actually, Javed saab once said something about humour that I really agree with. He said a good sense of humour is not just for fun and games, but it actually comes in handy when you're going through difficulties in life.”

“So if you have a good sense of humour at that time, it's like a shock absorber. I think I’ve always had that ability, and it’s a very important part of the film."

Directed by RS Prasanna, “Sitaare Zameen Par” is a remake of the Spanish film “Campeones”. Aamir plays a basketball coach tasked with training a group of neurodivergent children as punishment.

The film features ten debutant actors, including Aroush Datta and Simran Mangeshkar.