Ira Khan Opens Up on Guiding Aamir Khan Through His Decision to Quit Bollywood

Aamir Khan, one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actors, contemplated quitting acting during the pandemic, a decision that his family strongly discouraged. After the lukewarm response to Laal Singh Chaddha in 2022, the actor stepped back from films to focus on his personal life. However, in a recent episode of the Pinkvilla Podcast, his daughter Ira Khan shed light on the advice she gave him during this pivotal phase.

Ira revealed that she urged her father not to make impulsive decisions. "We (Junaid Khan) basically tried to tell him that he doesn't need to make extreme decisions. He doesn’t have to swing from one extreme to another. He just needs to chill, take a deep breath, and decide next week," she said.

At the time, Ira had recently launched her mental health initiative, Agatsu. Reflecting on the period, she shared, "He was trying to figure out if he wanted to leave films or not, and then he decided we should spend time together."

Detailing one of their interactions, Ira recalled: "

He came to Agatsu, and I spent a long time telling him about all the many, many problems I was facing. Once I finished, he was like, 'I don’t know what to do.' I thought, Damn it, he was supposed to solve my problems for me."

- Ira Khan

She added, "He did get involved, and now he's on the Advisory Board. But mostly, he went back to making films, and I continued with my work. Twice a year, I call them and give them a full rundown of what happened. But I think that meeting must have inspired him, and he thought, 'No, no, work. I’ll just go back to making films.'"

After his brief hiatus, Aamir Khan has returned to work with a slate of exciting projects. He will next appear in Sitaare Zameen Par alongside Genelia D'Souza and Darsheel Safary.

Additionally, the actor is reportedly in talks with filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj for a superhero film, which could go on floors in 2026 if finalized. Aamir is also producing Lahore 1947, starring Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta, and is in discussions with producer Allu Aravind for a potential sequel to the 2008 blockbuster Ghajini.

Despite the setbacks, Aamir Khan seems poised to make a dynamic comeback, guided by his family's support and a renewed focus on storytelling.