Imagining Bollywood’s ‘Mr. Perfectionist,’ Aamir Khan, quitting acting is as surprising to his family as it is to his fans. Recently, the ‘3 Idiots’ star appeared on Rhea Chakraborty’s podcast for a candid conversation. To many viewers’ surprise, Aamir revealed he had considered quitting films at one point to focus on his family. He discussed his ex-wife Kiran Rao’s and his children’s reactions when he broke the news and how they influenced his decision. Aamir also spoke about his mental breakdown and his turn to therapy during this rough phase.

During the conversation, as the ‘Dangal’ star discussed his decision to leave films, he revealed his children’s reactions. Aamir shared, “When I told them three years ago that I was quitting films, their reaction was, ‘Papa, how will you quit films? You’ve been involved like crazy for the past 30 years. You must be emotional right now and saying this. But you will not be able to do it.’”

However, Aamir was serious about his decision and even called a meeting with his production team, including Kiran Rao. Announcing his intention to step away from filmmaking, he asked them to take over Aamir Khan Productions. Despite his announcement, no one agreed to take over.

 

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Aamir then recounted Kiran Rao’s reaction and how her words changed his perspective. While his production team was reeling from the shock, Kiran told him, “You are leaving us all.” She argued that leaving films meant leaving a part of his life and the world that also included his family. She reminded him that if he left cinema, he was letting go of a fundamental part of himself and, consequently, leaving them as well.

As the discussion continued, Aamir revealed how his son Junaid, who recently made his debut, gave him a reality check. Junaid told him, “Papa, you are like a pendulum. When you were doing films, you were on one extreme; now that you want to spend time with family, you are on the other extreme. You are such an extreme man, and again you are taking an extreme step.”

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Reflecting on this tumultuous period, Aamir admitted to having a mental breakdown for not spending enough time with his children when they were young. He spoke openly about how therapy helped him cope.

Aamir was last seen in ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ with Kareena Kapoor, a film that didn’t do well at the box office. He co-produced Kiran’s second directorial feature, ‘Laapataa Ladies,’ which received significant critical acclaim and viewership on OTT. Aamir is currently working on ‘Sitaare Zameen Par,’ a project focusing on Down’s Syndrome.