- Imran Khan made a surprise cameo in Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos directed by Vir Das
- He described his marriage to Avantika Malik as unhealthy and affecting their daughter Imara
- Imran said separation was painful but better than maintaining an unhealthy relationship
Bollywood actor Imran Khan recently returned to the silver screen with a surprise cameo in Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, directed by his friend Vir Das. The appearance, he said, was driven purely by love for the project, fun, and a touch of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). Now, the actor has opened up about his life, revealing how his marriage to ex-wife Avantika Malik had become “unhealthy” and was beginning to affect their daughter, Imara.
In an interview, Imran Khan revealed that the separation was tough, but it allowed him to focus on his health and be a better parent. “It is painful, but however painful the separation is… And it is painful for both the partners, the child, and the families involved,” he told The Indian Express, adding, “It is still better than perpetuating an unhealthy dynamic. However unpleasant divorce is, ultimately, it is healthy to separate than to remain in an unhealthy situation and then to teach your child that, because then, you are teaching your child an unhealthy pattern and unhealthy dynamic, you yourself are not your healthiest best version.”
The Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na actor also admitted how the “unhealthy dynamic” with his partner was affecting his health. “So, for me, actually understanding and recognising that was a major factor in my decision to end my marriage. The fact that I saw this is not healthy. We are not in a healthy pattern, and if I continue in that unhealthy pattern, it is not good for me. It is not good for her, and it is not good for our child,” he added.
Imran, who is currently in a stable, healthy relationship with his girlfriend, Lekha Washington, emphasised that his divorce from Avantika Malik was for his health. He shared, “This choice that I made has been validated resoundingly. In the past seven years since we separated, my own personal health, emotional health, and mental health have gone tremendously well.”
Reflecting on his past, the actor mentioned, “I look back at the pictures of myself in the last few years of my marriage, and I look like a person with a serious illness. So it is ultimately for the good.”
College friends Imran Khan and Avantika Malik got married on January 10, 2011, after dating for a couple of years. On June 9, 2014, they welcomed their daughter Imara. The couple separated in 2019.
