Why did Aamir Khan tear up at Singapore Film Festival?
What's the story
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan broke down during a conversation session at the Singapore International Film Festival on Thursday. The actor received the Screen Icon Award from renowned Hong Kong-based film director Peter Chan Ho-sun. During the session, he spoke about his life and career, revealing how three decades of nonstop work had cost him years with his family.
Career reflections
'You've lost your relationships...'
When asked about the weakest moment in his career, Khan recalled, "When I was sitting in COVID, and I was thinking, I said, about 30 years have passed of my life."
"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, I mean...you've lost your relationships."
"Your kids have grown up; they're adults now. So I felt a deep sense of loss."
Emotional impact
Khan has now made a conscious effort to change
As Khan spoke, he paused and broke down in tears.
He later apologized to the audience before gathering himself as they applauded.
That realization, the actor said, led him to make a significant change; for the past four years, he has deliberately made time for family and close friends.
"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."
Early challenges
'I felt like I was in quicksand...'
Khan also recalled an earlier low point in his career after his 1988 debut, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
He signed nine films in six months, but soon realized his mistake.
The actor said he would come home and cry to his then-wife Reena Dutta as the films flopped one after another.
"At that time...mentally and emotionally, I felt like I was in quicksand. I was sinking slowly, and the more I struggled to get out, the deeper I was going."
Filmmaking insights
Khan accepted the Screen Icon Award
Accepting the Screen Icon Award, Khan said, "Filmmaking is a collective art form, and a lot of people contribute to each other's work."
Khan last turned up at the festival nine years ago with Secret Superstar, which he produced.
This year, he also has a 25th-anniversary screening of Lagaan at the festival.