Aamir Khan recently opened up about a time when he considered quitting films to spend more time with his family. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Aamir shared that during the Covid-19 pandemic, he went through a personal reflection and realized how much of his life had been consumed by cinema. He felt guilty for not having been there enough for his relationships, particularly with his ex-wives, Reena and Kiran.
“I decided to quit before Laal Singh Chaddha. I was going through a personal journey of my own. Towards the end of Covid, I suddenly realized that I have spent the bulk of my adult life, starting from the age of 18 right up to now, all of my bandwidth and focus has been on cinema,” he explained. Aamir admitted that his dedication to filmmaking had made him neglect his relationships with family, including his children and his former spouses. He said that midway through the filming of Laal Singh Chaddha, he felt overwhelmed with guilt and thought that stepping away from films would be the right decision.
However, Aamir’s family, including his children Junaid and Ira, convinced him not to quit completely. He recalled sitting his family down and telling them he wanted to leave films for good. “I felt that I haven’t been there enough for my relationships – my kids, siblings, and family. Whether it was Kiran or Reena, when I was married to them, I felt that I wasn’t there for these people enough,” he shared.
Kiran's reaction was emotional as she urged him not to make any drastic decisions, saying, "You are a child of cinema, and if you are leaving films, you are leaving us." Even their daughter jokingly told Aamir, "Please papa, you can’t spend all your time with us, we will go crazy." This playful exchange helped Aamir realize that a complete withdrawal wasn’t the solution. After careful thought and reflection, Aamir decided not to quit films entirely but to focus on doing fewer projects, with a goal of making the next 10 years of his career the most productive.
In response to his family’s concerns, Aamir clarified that he signed on to six new films because he wanted to ensure his remaining active years in cinema would be fulfilling, working with creative and passionate people. His upcoming projects include Sitaare Zameen Par.
Aamir’s journey reveals a deep reflection on the balance between career and family, and he has learned to embrace a middle ground rather than making extreme decisions.
