Aamir Khan is all business when t2 drops in to meet him at the Taj Lands End in Bandra on Wednesday. With four days to go before Season Two of Satyamev Jayate goes on air, he is busy with last minute nitty-gritties. Dressed in a long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, the superstar walks into the room, bodyguards in tow.

“I feel like I am being pulled in so many different directions. I am involved in every aspect of the show... from the research and the shoot to even its impact post the airing of the episode. Just to give you an idea how involved… well, I am not shooting any film this year. Peekay (the Rajkumar Hirani film slated for a Christmas release) is almost finished. Apart from that, Satyamev Jayate is all that I am going to be working on,” says the 48-year-old.

Aamir requests for tea and water (in Marathi, ‘So I can stay in practice,’ he explains) before sitting down to talk about the impact of the show, how easily he cries (tears rolled during this interview too!) and what he would ask the detractors of Satyamev Jayate on STAR Plus.

Looking back, are you happy with the impact Satyamev Jayate made in its first season?

At the core of it, Satyamev Jayate is an attempt on our part to understand a subject and then share our understanding and findings with everyone. We want the audience to understand the subject, not just intellectually but also emotionally. Every issue has different facets — personal, social and legal. We want to look at every issue from as many angles as possible. So, when we do an episode on domestic violence, the audience meets victims but also understands the law and gets statistics, so we know how widespread the problem is socially.

What was the biggest learning from Season One of Satyamev Jayate?

For me, there were two big learnings. Wherever people have worked in a collective manner and have not thought individually and selfishly, there we have seen prosperity. One of the best ways for us to do well socially and economically is to work as a collective. Also, many of our problems finally boil down to our patriarchal thinking as a society. Whether it is domestic violence, dowry or honour killings, it goes back to our patriarchal thought.

Last season had 13 episodes that aired in one go. What was the idea behind segmenting the season this time, with only five episodes slated to be aired from March 2?

We’ve broken up the season into three time periods. We feel that each of the subjects is so heavy, strong and important that we want to give time to people to consume and stay with it for some time. We feel that the audience shouldn’t watch three-four topics at one stretch. We have slowed down the pace so the audience stays with the topics. Then three months later, we’ll come back with three-four more topics. So, we’ll be on air in March, then again in the middle of the year and once towards the end of the year.

You recently travelled to Gaya in Bihar to meet the family of Dashrath Manjhi, known popularly as the Mountain Man. What was the thought behind that visit?

Dashrath Manjhi’s was the last story in the last episode of Satyamev Jayate’s Season One. At the end of that episode that was titled ‘The Idea of India’, I said that a lot of us have negative thoughts about what an individual can achieve. Anyone who saw Dashrath’s story, they can never use that line as an excuse for their inaction. He took 22 years to break through a mountain and make a road single-handedly. It was a very inspirational story.

My purpose of going to Bihar and announcing the start of Season Two was multiple. I wanted to start where we left off. Also, I wanted to show my appreciation for his thinking. He made a decision and went for it. He didn’t let people laughing or taunting him distract him from his goal. He didn’t wait for the government to build the road or give up because no one else was helping him. He made the change he wanted to see happen. Similarly, we at Satyamev Jayate are on the same path despite allegations against us or rumours floating around. We are very single-minded in our focus of doing what we think is right.

How does Team Satyamev Jayate shortlist the subjects? Has there been any that you’ve dropped under pressure of any kind?

There have been no topics that we have not picked up because of any kind of pressure, political or otherwise. Our choice of topic is not determined by pressure that we could face if we aired that episode or how much buzz that topic would create. Our process starts with the core team pooling in with subjects that we think we should address. Through social media and our website, there have been suggestions from the audience. All of these are put on the table and each subject is discussed threadbare. Some of us fight for a topic to be included. If a topic is left out, it is only because the core team thinks that the 13 that are picked are currently important and that they’d made a dynamic difference. No one subject is more important than the other, but it is not possible to address everything at one time.

Which issues are closest to you?

Empowerment of women. I think it can be a big game-changer for our society. Roughly, half our population is women. Also sociologically, a woman is the centre of a family. A mother is the biggest influence in a child’s life. If a woman is empowered, the family unit becomes strong and the chain continues from family to society to city and finally the country. When I talk about empowerment, it includes education, health care and, of course, removing our patriarchal thinking.

The other is the collective. I may prosper individually for some time, but in the long run you have to work with others, think about the greater good.

Hosting a TV show is very different from the camera experience you’ve had. Were you happy with your performance as host in the first season? Should we expect to see any change in your style?

I did the show exactly how I am. There was a section of people who thought that I cried too much (laughs). But that’s how I am. I am an emotional person and I always tear up when I hear a heart-wrenching story. And I cannot pretend otherwise. The last time there were episodes where I completely broke down. We didn’t show that. No one needs to see 15 minutes of me crying. It’s in the rushes, in case anyone is interested in watching me cry for academic reasons (laughs). But how I react when I am talking to a guest is recorded in real time and I don’t want to tamper with that (pauses). To answer your second question, there is no change in how I approach the show as a host.

What about the show itself? Any changes there?

Not really. We think that the show did what it was supposed to. So we are taking the same format ahead this year. What we have added is sharper action points. With every episode we have identified four-five action points that we thing will go a long way in changing the situation. We are encouraging the audience to vote by giving a missed call on a toll-free number. We call this the ‘Vote for Change’ campaign. We can then take these action points to the state or central government.

Detractors of the show have always questioned its impact and whether there actually is change. Do you revisit the subjects and keep track?

Absolutely! If you go to the show’s website, you’ll see what changes have come about on different levels. You have to remember that Satyamev Jayate is not a government agency. We have no authority to implement changes. We think of ourselves as communicators. Everyone is as much a part of this democracy as I am. So, if you ask me what have I changed, ask yourself the same question. You can’t have a messiah in a democracy. Everyone has to work together to make this country prosper. I believe that we empower people with information. Changes will happen only when the society as a whole decides to change. Our core responsibility is to educate and inform. My question to everyone is — ‘What have you done with the information? Have you made any changes in your life or those around you?’

Having said that, a lot has changed in relation to the subjects we tackled last season. People have opened generic medicine shops. Many village panchayats have pledged to stop girl infanticide. You might be aware that Maharashtra and Rajasthan have released their reports on the ratio of girl child vs boy child. In that, there has been a 40 per cent increase in favour of girls. That is a huge impact in just one year.

This is election year. And the first step towards change is to get every Indian to exercise his and her right to vote....

I don’t know if I should share this but I’ve received an informal request from the Election Commission to do a campaign to encourage people to vote. I have told them that I am available and willing. Hopefully, this campaign will happen.

The first segment of Season 2 will air just before India goes to polls. Are there subjects that will help the undecided voter make up his or her mind?

(Laughs) You are trying to make me tell you the subjects. I am not going to. Let me put it this way… we have timed our episodes well.

The thinking in Bollywood is that actors should stay away from addressing social and political issues. Fanaa not doing well was blamed on you supporting Medha Patkar during the Narmada issue. Recently, members of the trade said Salman Khan meeting Narendra Modi hurt Jai Ho....

I won’t comment about other actors. But personally, I think it’s important for every single Indian to be connected to social and political issues. It’s our country. If we will not be connected, who will?

How has the show changed you personally?

My outlook to life has changed. In almost every episode, there were things that I wasn’t aware of, so I also learnt a lot. Whether it was about legal angles or how people react to situations. So, I would be surprised in every episode… sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way.

Apart from this, I also learnt a lot emotionally and spiritually. How people are (pauses) struggling. They have no power of any kind and still they have so much internal strength and dignity and inherent goodness. When I would hear their story, I would think that I’d meet someone who has given up… who is broken but when I would talk to him or her, I’d be taken aback by their strength, innocence and purity (sighs). That was a big learning for me.

This opportunity that Satyamev Jayate has given me to meet different people from all walks of life, ages, socio-economic backgrounds... is something I am so grateful for. I won’t be able to tell you specifically what’s changed in me, but I know something has. I think I have grown as a person. I hope I have learnt a lot from the people I have met (pauses).

I have learnt the power of forgiveness. When a mother talks about her son who is killed, she talks about it with so much love and dignity and she has no anger for the person who killed her son (pauses and takes a sip of tea).

So I find that a very... (emotions get the better of Aamir and his voice starts cracking. He pauses again to compose himself)... amazing quality. Sorry (uses his T-shirt sleeves to wipe his tears) See, this is how easily I cry. Imagine if my crying wasn’t edited on the show!

(We offer him a packet of tissues) No, thanks. I always use my sleeves (smiles).

Finally, what is your vision for India?

Well, the ultimate vision is what our forefathers wrote in the Preamble of the Constitution. The people who fought for us had a vision for India… Justice, Equality, Liberty and Fraternity. My vision is to fulfill their dream.

Satyamev Jayate Season 2 goes on air today and will air every Sunday in March at 11am on STAR Plus