Sai Tamhankar on her Aamir Khan fangirl era and the Ghajini dream coming true

Actor Sai Tamhankar recently looked back at one of the most memorable moments of her career, getting cast in the 2008 film Ghajini alongside Aamir Khan. Calling the experience a “dream come true,” Sai spoke to India Today about her admiration for the superstar, the freedom she felt as a newcomer in the industry, and the lessons she learned from working closely with him over the years.

Sai recalled the moment when she received the call for Ghajini and admitted that hearing Aamir’s name was enough for her to instantly say yes.

“I still remember when I got the call from the casting director for Ghajini. She mentioned Aamir Khan, and honestly, everything else just faded away. I could only hear ‘Aamir Khan.’ I immediately said yes without even asking what my role was,” she told us.

The Hunterr actor said that being new to the industry at the time allowed her to approach opportunities fearlessly. “The best part about being a beginner in the industry is that you don’t carry any baggage. You’re free to make mistakes, explore and experiment. I was in that phase where I had nothing to lose, so it was a really fun experience for me,” she said.

While the AR Murugadoss directorial went on to become a massive blockbuster, Sai remembers the film as something deeply personal. “People call Ghajini a blockbuster film, but for me, it was a dream coming true, a willpower turning into reality. Back in college, I had a huge crush on Aamir Khan, and somehow, I feel that got manifested into this opportunity. It truly felt like a blessing,” she added.

Years after the film, the 39-year-old actor got the opportunity to work with the superstar again through the Paani Foundation initiative, an experience that allowed her to know him beyond cinema.

“I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would work with Aamir Khan, get to know him personally, and even accompany him while he was doing meaningful work for Paani Foundation and for our state. It still feels surreal,” she said.

Sai further spoke about Aamir’s work ethic and described him as “ten steps ahead” of everyone around him. “Aamir sir is extremely disciplined and very punctual. He’s always ten steps ahead of everyone else. The moment you start thinking about something, he has already thought it through and moved on to the next thing. His planning is meticulous,” Sai said.

She added, “I remember during Shramdaan (oluntary community service), his attitude was very clear, ‘I came here to work, so I will work.’ In the middle of chaos, limelight, and distractions, people can lose sight of why they’re there, but he never does. It’s not easy to put together a team that works day and night to educate people about water conservation and harvesting. He doesn’t need to do all of this, but he still does it, and he continues to stay committed to it. That’s truly commendable,” she concluded.

Meanwhile, Sai was last seen in Vijay Varma’s Matka King. The series was created and written by Abhay Koranne, while Nagraj Popatrao Manjule served as creator, writer and director. Matka King has now been renewed for Season 2