Aamir Khan has revealed that he seriously considered quitting films at one point, admitting that his intense focus on cinema had caused him to neglect his family for years.
In an emotional interview with ‘The Hollywood Reporter India’, the actor shared the turning point in his life during the COVID-19 pandemic when he realized that his adult life had been consumed by his work in the film industry.
Reflecting on his career, which began when he became an assistant director at 18, Aamir Khan said that, while he devoted his time to films, he felt he had missed out on spending enough time with his loved ones—his children, siblings, and ex-wives.
He particularly mentioned his guilt over not being there for his family, including his ex-wife Kiran Rao and his first wife Reena Dutta, as he was so absorbed in his work.
The realization came midway through the making of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’, and it hit him hard. “I felt like I’d given my whole life to cinema and hadn’t been there for my family,” he confessed.
Aamir admitted to feeling a lot of guilt, which led him to decide he’d done enough in his career after 35 years. He then shared his plan with his family, telling them that he intended to quit films.
However, it was his son Junaid who helped change his mind. Junaid advised his father that he was swinging from one extreme to another and reminded him that there was a balance to be found.
“Somewhere in the middle also there is a space that you can be in,” Junaid told him. He assured his father that it was possible to continue doing films while also being there for the family.