‘Those years are not coming back’: Bollywood star Aamir Khan fights back tears over lost family time

Indian actor Aamir Khan fought back tears as he recalled how his relentless focus on his career had cost him precious years with his children and loved ones. — AsiaOne pic

First Published: Thursday, 29 Oct 2026 9:11 AM MYT

SINGAPORE, Oct 29 — After a career spanning decades, Aamir Khan has made a name for himself, but not without regrets.

The 61-year-old Bollywood star was in town on Oct 22 for the annual Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), where he received the Screen Icon Award and chatted with viewers here for nearly two hours during his In Conversations With session.

On top of a look-back at his journey as an actor, director and producer, Aamir also opened up about one of his lowest moments.

Sitting around at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, after being a workaholic all his life, gave him time to reflect.

“About 30 years of my life had passed — and it’s okay to work like a madman, completely obsessed with what you’re doing, for one year, two years, five years, but if it goes on for 30 years… You’ve lost your relationships. Your kids have grown up, they are adults now, so I felt a deep sense of loss,” he shared.

Tearing up, Aamir, who has three children from his two previous marriages, paused for a few moments to collect himself. 

“I was sitting alone and thinking about this, feeling really horrible about myself. And then I decided to correct what I had done or what I had not done,” he said.

“I realised that I’ve lost those years, and no matter what I do, they’re not going to come back. There’s no way those years are coming back, but at least I have the years ahead. So I made a big change in my life.”

He shared that he’s been spending time with his loved ones in recent years and is actively making sure he’s “connected” to the people who are important to him.

“I’m so glad that this thought occurred to me when I was 56, and not when I was 86, when it would be really too late to do anything about it.”

He added: “A lot of us have so many things happening in our lives. We are doing so many things that are important to us, which mean a lot to us, and life just races. But I think it’s very important for all of us to just stop, take a pause, and look at the people and our relationships, who are really important to us, and who mean a lot to us, and we must give them time, love and nourish those relationships.”

‘This is where my heart belongs’

Aamir has starred in countless beloved films and dramas — Mann (1999), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Ghajini (2008) and Dangal (2016), to name a few — but arguably he’s best known for the global hit that is 3 Idiots.

The 2009 movie was popular not only in India, but also in countries such as China and South Korea.

Speaking candidly, Aamir’s next remark drew a surprised reaction from Singaporean host Rishi Budhrani.

“I have to thank piracy. I mean, it’s the truth. My popularity in China is thanks to piracy… Had the Chinese kids not pirated the film and shared it, I don’t think I would have got that out,” he remarked.

He clarified he’s not an advocate of piracy and likes to pay for what he consumes but is aware of the practicalities.

“Sometimes things which are not good for you work in your favour in odd ways. This is one case of that… The first time I went to China, I met a lot of film people there and I realised that they had seen seven, eight films of mine,” he said.

For fans of 3 Idiots, all hope for a sequel is not lost as Aamir confirmed at SGIFF that it is in the works.

Earlier this year, director Rajkumar Hirani revealed he’s working on the script and Aamir said the story picks up 10 years after the first film.

Aamir, whose father was also a film producer, was asked if he envisioned himself taking a different career path. 

The former started Aamir Khan Productions in 2001 and its first film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) — which was screened at SGIFF — was a commercial success.

“If I was not an actor, I think I would still be in the film [industry]. I would probably be a filmmaker, producer or editor… Because I think this is where I belong. This is where my heart belongs,” he said.