Exclusive: ‘‘Therapy Makes You Realise So Much About Life’’ – Aamir Khan on Mental Health Challenges

Aamir Khan’s newly released film, Sitaare Zameen Par has been garnering praise from both the audience and critics for its theme of Sabka Apna Normal Hai which has connected well with the viewers. In a candid chat with Filmfare, Aamir Khan spoke openly about his own journey with mental health, and how tough it was when his daughter, Ira went through depression.

He shared that as a parent, watching your child suffer is one of the hardest things. He said, “You feel far more for your children than you ever could for yourself. That emotion runs deep. So, when Ira went through depression, it was incredibly difficult, not just for Reena and me but for the whole family. We did everything we could to support her and be there for her. I’m truly glad to see how far she’s come.”

When asked if there were signs earlier, he explained, “This happened later, when Ira was around 18 or 19 and heading to college. I’m known in the family for not valuing formal education. I never pursued it myself.

So Reena and Kiran, both highly educated women, warned me not to influence her. She was set to attend Utrecht University in Netherlands but didn’t want to go. Reena and Kiran sat me down and said, “Don’t you dare support her. You must tell her to go.” Though I was against it, I caved under pressure and told Ira she had to go. That’s when her depression began. Two years later, while I was in Spain working on Laal Singh, she called me and was sounding terrible. I immediately flew to Utrecht, packed her bags, and brought her home. Even in Mumbai, it was tough. Once depression sets in, it’s hard to deal with it. Sadly, a lot of young people face it today.”

Aamir also spoke about his own healing and revealed that he’s been taking therapy for the last four years and how it makes one realise so much about themselves and about life. He shared, “Honestly, I wish I’d known about therapy when I was 18. If I’d started then, I think my life would’ve been very different. Take something as basic as choosing a partner, after four years of therapy, I can now spot red flags from a mile away.”

Aamir also touched upon the kind of stress that handling a business brings in, apart from intense work schedules and dealing with different emotions while preparing for different roles. Sharing a personal experience, he explained, “In cinema, you’re constantly playing with emotions, pretending to feel things you haven’t actually experienced. In Talaash, for example, my character had lost a child. Every day on the set, I had to mentally put myself in that devastating space, reliving the grief as if it were real. That took a toll. Across my 35 films, I’ve had to navigate a wide range of emotions, not just as an actor but alongside the entire crew.”

On being asked if he feels much easier now after therapy, he replied, “I think so.”

Also Read: Cover Story: Aamir Khan on Fatherhood, Films and Finding Love Again