For many millennials, Imran Khan became the face of young romance after winning hearts in ‘Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na’. While his on-screen persona embodied charm and optimism, the actor has spent the past several years away from the spotlight, focusing on personal growth and life beyond cinema.During a recent conversation with Malini Agarwal on Not Done Yet, Imran offered a deeply personal glimpse into his life, speaking candidly about therapy, self-awareness, co-parenting, and the difficult decision to walk away from a marriage that no longer felt healthy.
Imran Khan on looking beyond appearances
Rather than discussing separation in terms of failure or success, Imran explained that the choice came from a desire to prevent unhealthy patterns from being passed on to his daughter. According to the actor, the real question was whether remaining together would have created a better environment than parting ways.“With all of the pain and complication of that separation, somewhere you kind of weighed out and you weighed the alternative,” Imran said. “Which is to propagate an unhealthy pattern and teach an unhealthy pattern to your own child. Within that, I weighed what I consider to be the lesser of two evils.”Drawing from his own childhood experiences, Imran reflected on growing up with divorced parents in the 1980s and witnessing the social judgement his mother had to navigate. Those memories helped shape his belief that preserving appearances should never come at the cost of a child’s emotional wellbeing.
A different lesson for the next generation
The actor shared that he eventually realised children learn far more from the relationships they observe than from the explanations adults provide. For that reason, he felt it was important to avoid normalising unhealthy dynamics within the family structure. Instead of remaining in a situation that no longer worked, Imran chose what he believed would be the healthier path for both himself and his daughter, even if it came with emotional challenges and public scrutiny.At the centre of Imran’s journey is his daughter Amara, who he credits with helping him navigate some of the most difficult periods of his life. Speaking about their bond, the actor became visibly emotional as he described the impact she has had on him.“Words are inadequate,” he said. “I can never find enough words or potent enough words to express the joy, the love, the value and the meaning that she’s brought to my life… Through a lot of complicated and difficult times, this girl was my light. This girl was my lighthouse. You know, kind of the beacon that you set. You set your compass that way.” For Imran, fatherhood has become a source of direction, offering clarity and purpose during moments of uncertainty.
Imran Khan says honest conversations matter
When discussing how he approaches sensitive topics with Amara, Imran stressed the importance of transparency without burdening children with adult concerns. He believes children need reassurance that the adults in their lives are capable of handling difficult situations.“My view is that children need to feel a sense that the grown-ups are managing it. They’re going to figure it out… So the way that I have approached this or any complicated conversation with Amara is to say, ‘Look, here are the basic facts. Beyond this is not something for you to worry about because you’re a child… You can feel all of the things, but don’t worry about it because I got this.'”Through his reflections, Imran presented a perspective that prioritises emotional honesty, responsible parenting and the courage to make difficult choices when they ultimately serve a child’s best interests.