On Saturday, actor-producer Aamir Khan was in Bangalore attending the Confederation of Indian Industries Partnership Summit 2002. The show, which was inaugurated by the visiting British Premier Tony Blair, had Khan as a representative from the world of entertainment.

The topic of conversation between Blair and Khan was, but naturally, Lagaan. "I spent 15 minutes with him at the lunch table and was surprised when he asked me about the film," says Khan. "The British High Commissioner Rob Young was also at the table. Young has seen the film and had told Blair about its subject. Blair expressed a desire to see Lagaan and I am arranging a screening for him in London."

For the moment though, this screening will have to wait. Even as you read this, Khan along with director Ashutosh Gowariker, is airborne towards Los Angeles to create awareness about Lagaan, one of the 54 films nominated in the foreign film category for the Oscar awards.

Khan, who vowed seven years ago not to attend any awards ceremony or accept any awards, will attend the Oscars if Lagaan makes it to the final five. But he will not attend any of the popular awards shows in India, the first of which happens this week. Suggest double standards to him and he says, "I will, as usual, not participate in the award ceremonies here. That's definite. My film's team members are free to attend them. That's their individual right."

This year two of Khan's films - Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai - are among the nominees for the top spot. "Yes, Lagaan is very dear to me, yet I will not go for these award shows. I have experienced the local awards scenario and know what they are all about. It's something I can't fathom. Only a handful of people influence the process, unlike the Oscars. Moreover I have never experienced the Oscars so I'd like to be a part of it and then comment about the ceremony."

According to Khan, the Oscars are an elaborate process and it is difficult to influence them considering the sheer numbers involved. "In round one a 300-member team from the Academy will shortlist five entries. In round two about 5,500 Academy members will select their favourite from the shortlist. The purpose of my going to the US is to ensure that all the Academy folks are aware of Lagaan. That's why we have arranged several screenings so that each of the hundreds and thousands of Academy folks get a chance to view it."

Till the Oscar shortlist is announced next month, Khan will have little time to do anything else. "I am doing an AB Corp production directed by Mansoor Khan but I don't know when it will take off. I also had this desire to learn classical music for a long time both vocal and tabla. AR Rahman introduced me to an Ustad but I have not yet got down to starting." He also clarifies that there is no unpleasantness between actress Gracy Singh and him. "It's not that she has been ignored. She called me to say that her comments about the Britannia Lagaan match were misreported. We were not going to have any dance show after the match. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision taking into consideration the crowd's demands."

At the moment the last thing Khan wants to get involved in is any controversy. For him there is a more important match to be played - at the Oscars.