Watch: When Aamir Khan promoted debut film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ by pasting posters on auto-rickshaws, one driver even rejected him

Before becoming Bollywood’s “Mr Perfectionist,” Aamir Khan went to extraordinary lengths to promote his debut film, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Released in 1988, the film marked the breakthrough of both Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla, but at the time, the young actor was still struggling to make his mark in Bollywood.

In an era before flashy marketing campaigns and massive promotional events became common in the film industry, Aamir chose a simple yet unconventional method to create buzz around the movie. Along with his cousin and co-star Raj Zutshi, he personally roamed the streets of Mumbai, approaching auto-rickshaw drivers and requesting them to paste posters of the film on the back of their vehicles.

The effort was aimed at generating curiosity among the public and attracting ordinary moviegoers to theatres. Aamir and Raj reportedly moved from one auto-rickshaw to another, distributing as many posters as possible in the hope of building excitement for the film. Interestingly, one of the drivers even refused to put up the poster — a moment that now feels ironic considering Aamir Khan’s eventual superstardom.

Aamir Khan now seldom promotes his own movies. In an interview recently he admitted that film promotions have become far more complicated in the digital age and that he haven’t fully understand social media and that reaching audiences today is much tougher because viewers are spread across multiple platforms. On promotion of ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’, he told the SCREEN that the team mainly relied on airing the film’s songs on Doordarshan to generate buzz. They secured weekly slots for the songs on the popular programme Chhaaya Geet, where four tracks from the movie were regularly played. According to him, that simple strategy made up the entire promotional campaign for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Despite the humble beginnings, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak went on to become one of Bollywood’s most iconic romantic films. The story of Raj and Rashmi, two lovers caught in a bitter family feud, struck an emotional chord with audiences across the country.
The film was praised for its heartfelt storytelling, memorable performances, and evergreen music composed by Anand-Milind. Songs such as Papa Kehte Hain and Ae Mere Humsafar remain fan favourites even decades later.
The blockbuster success of the movie transformed Aamir Khan into a household name and established Juhi Chawla as one of the leading actresses of her generation.
Today, Aamir Khan hardly needs grassroots promotions to draw audiences to theatres. His films often generate massive anticipation on their own.