With tears in his eyes, Aamir Khan got quite emotional in Rajat Sharma's show Aap Ki Adalat while speaking about his children, their sense of insecurity and his decision to quit films, which he later retracted after persuasion from his family.
When Rajat Sharma asked why he announced that he would quit films, Aamir Khan replied, "When I was confined in my home during the Covid pandemic, I started thinking. I had spent 18 years in the film industry. I started work as an assistant director, and four years later, I became an actor. All these 18 years of my life were filled with passion, magic and a craze for creativity, and I was 56. I started thinking about what I had done with my family, my children, my 'ammi', and my siblings. I did not give any time to them all these years. When I realised this, I fell into a depression for three days. I became angry with myself. By that time, my children had grown up. Ira had become 23, and Junaid was 28. That was four years ago. I did not even know what they desired or dreamed when they were children. What were their dreams, their fears? What was her insecurity, her dreams? I had never paid attention."
Aamir went on: "I used to spend all my time with my directors. I knew what were Ashutosh's (Gowariker) dreams and his insecurities. But I didn't know anything about my children. (wipes off tears). I then decided I won't do any more films and spend all my time with my children and family. During Covid, the movie Lal Singh Chaddha was half-complete. I decided I won't do any more film after that. I told my family and apologised. They told me, you are being too hard on yourself. You were quite good as a father, but I felt I did not do my duty. "
"Before Covid came, I had promised RS Prasanna, (the director of Sitaare Zameen Par) that I would do his movie. I called him from Chennai and told him to take another actor. I would only produce but not act. Junaid and Ira told me, 'You seem to be disturbed; you have already spent eight months with us. You may want to live with us round-the-clock for 24 hours, but now we have grown up. We have our own lives.' Junaid told me, 'Papa, you have become an extremist. Like a pendulum, you spent all your time in films, and now you want to spend all your time with us. There is a middle path for moderation'. Kiran (Aamir's ex-wife) wept. She told me, 'You are a child of cinema, if you leave films, then you will leave us too. You must not do that.' The three of them finally persuaded me not to leave films."
Rajat Sharma: "So you promise your fans, you'll never leave films?"
Aamir Khan: "I want to promise here, in this show, I will never leave the film industry. Whatever I am today is because of the affection of my fans. I am grateful to all. I thank the Almighty for granting me this. I am grateful to my country, my soil and my people."
Kiran Rao
When Rajat Sharma asked why he quarrelled with ex-wife Kiran Rao and did not speak to her for several days, Aamir Khan replied, "Actually, I quarrel less. It is not in my nature to quarrel. When somebody hurts me or breaks my heart, then I go into silent mode. Like steel doors that fall all around me, I then stop speaking, nor do I listen or reply. I completely isolate myself. When I get too much pain and get hurt, I cannot accept somebody speaking to me. I cut myself off from that person. I agree, this is not good. Humans do make mistakes, and one should forgive if anybody commits a mistake. There is nothing greater than forgiveness."
Rajat Sharma: You didn't speak to Juhi Chawla for 7 years?
Aamir Khan: "I did not speak to Juhi Chawla for 7 years. This is childishness, the ego that I am right and the other is wrong. It is also wrong not to forgive. I admit it was my mistake, and I had begun therapy. To be strongly judgmental and unforgiving is not good. I started learning this slowly."
On naming children
When Rajat Sharma said trolls are alleging that Aamir married Reena, Kiran and now Gauri, all names of Indian goddesses, but named his children Junaid Khan, Ira Khan and Azad Khan, the superstar explained, "Let me first clarify, the children were named by my wives. I did not interfere. You are a husband, and you will agree with me that husbands have no say, the wife decides the name of the child. So, it was Reena who gave the names Junaid and Ira. The name Ira is another short Hindu name for Irawati. The name came from Menaka Gandhi's book on Hindu names. The name Azad was selected by Reena in memory of Maulana Azad. Our family is related to Maulana Azad's family. Maulana Azad was a titan of the Indian freedom movement, along with Pandit Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. Azad is not a Muslim name. It is also the name of revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad."
Love Jihad
Rajat Sharma: Trolls say you are doing Love Jihad?
Aamir Khan: Arrey baap re!
Rajat Sharma: They say, in the movie PK, you justified a Hindu girl marrying a Pakistani Muslim?
Aamir Khan: Whenever two persons from different religions love each other, they do it out of love. Every time it is not Love Jihad. It is called Insaniyat. It is above religion. Let me tell you. My sister Nikhat married Santosh Hegde, a Hindu. Will you say it is Love Jihad? My younger sister Farhat married Rajiv Dutta, a Hindu. Will you say it is Love Jihad? My daughter Ira married Nupur Shikhare a few months ago. So, love is the biggest thing on earth.