Mumbai, 23 October (H.S.): Actor Aamir Khan became emotional while reflecting on his life and career during a conversation at the Singapore International Film Festival, acknowledging that his intense dedication to work over nearly three decades had left him with insufficient time for his personal relationships.

Aamir Khan said he came to recognise the extent of this loss during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he had an opportunity to reflect on his life. He observed that being completely absorbed in work for a few years might be understandable, but allowing it to dominate one’s life for decades could come at the cost of important relationships. He said he experienced a profound sense of emptiness as his children grew up and entered adulthood. Overcome with emotion, he paused, struggled to hold back his tears and apologised to the audience. Those present responded with warm applause.

The actor revealed that, over the past four years, he had consciously made more time for his family and close friends to ensure that his professional commitments did not overshadow every aspect of his life. He expressed relief that he had reached this realisation at the age of 56 rather than at 86, when making meaningful changes might have been considerably more difficult.

During the conversation, Aamir Khan also revisited the early struggles of his career. Following the unexpected success of his film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ in 1988, he signed nine films within just six months. However, several of those projects failed at the box office. The disappointing results left him worried that he might ultimately be remembered as a one-film wonder.

The successive box-office failures placed considerable mental and emotional pressure on the actor. Recalling that difficult period,Aamir Khan said he would return home and break down in tears in front of his then-wife, Reena Dutta. Describing his state of mind, he said he felt as though he were trapped in quicksand, with every attempt to escape only pulling him deeper.

Aamir Khan is attending the Singapore International Film Festival after a gap of nine years. His previous visit was in 2017, when he was there in connection with his film ‘Secret Superstar’. This time, he is attending a special screening of ‘Lagaan’ to mark the film’s 25th anniversary. The screening celebrates the 2001 film, which marked Khan’s debut as a producer.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar