Bollywood Superstar Aamir Khan Shares He “Secretly Quit Filmmaking”

Aamir Khan has revealed that he quietly quit his stellar career during the Covid pandemic, in order to spend more time with his loved ones.

The Hollywood superstar, known for some of India’s most popular films including river and 3 Idiotstold BBC News that he said to his family: “I’m done acting and movies”.

He explained “I (don’t) want to produce or direct or act. I just want to be with my family.”

However, Khan added that no one outside his family really noticed because of the major hiatus in the film industry caused by the global pandemic – “no one knew about it” – before his children persuaded him to return to work.

“They were like, ‘But we can’t spend 24 hours with you. So get real and get a life.’ So they encouraged me to get back into film.

Khan’s latest film is Laapataaa ladies (‘Lost ladies‘), India’s official choice for Oscar consideration in the best international feature film category. If it triumphs, it will be the first Indian title to win this award.

Laapataaa ladies tells the story of a young man bringing the wrong bride home. Meanwhile, his wife finally disappeared, he had to fend for himself. The BBC described it as “a satire that looks at the treatment of women, including touching on the sensitive topic of domestic violence.”

Khan’s ex-wife Kiran Rao directed the film. The couple split in 2021 after 16 years of marriage, but Khan told the BBC he was determined Rao would lead the project:

“I think the reason I chose Kiran is because I know she’s going to be honest​​​​​​​​​​and that’s what I want.”