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Vir Das hadn't spoken to Aamir Khan for 10 years when he picked up his phone to call the Bollywood superstar and producer to back his directorial debut Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos , which he is playing in cinemas now.

Aamir Khan has produced the Hindi movie under his Aamir Khan Productions and also stars in a crazy cameo of the don of Goa called Jimmy Mario who looks part Charles Manson and part Burt Reynolds. In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Vir Das, who also fronts Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos, shares how it was directing Aamir Khan years after he featured in the Bollywood star's production Delhi Belly (2011). "I called up Aamir after 12 years of Delhi Belly and I hadn't spoken to him for 10 years. He took my call, gave me a meeting in six days and then, he's a very tough taskmaster when it comes to story. He will not let you shoot the film until you've really cracked the story and that the script is really doing what he really wants it to do in terms of serving every character and laughs. "We spent a lot of time on drafts and drafts which he worked with us on as well, and gave us notes. Kavi (Shastri, co-director) and I went on a test shoot and shot four-five scenes, and cut them together. When he was confident that we knew how to direct and he saw me doing the character for the first time, then we got to shoot the film," the action-director said. And when Aamir Khan showed up as an actor on Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos, Vir Das said, it was a "joy" to sit behind the monitor. "Aamir has got a decent amount to do in this film. It is an extended cameo. You never want to waste an Aamir Khan appearance in your movie. So, I think this is the craziest thing he has ever done. We thought what has Aamir not done on screen and this is one of those things? "It is ridiculously funny what he's done... You discover that god has spent a little bit more time on some people. He gave them a little more presence and aura. It's very cool and you want to get it right. He takes notes, he improvises, and tries crazy things which is what you want in a comedy." Besides Aamir Khan, the actor-producer's nephew Imran Khan also has a fun cameo in Happy Patel: Khatarnaak Jasoos. The film, which hit theatres on January 16, also stars Mona Singh, Mithila Palkar, Sharib Hashmi, and Srushti Tawde.