Aamir Khan’s 'painful' confession: How working like a 'madman' cost him his kids and his peace.

Actor Aamir Khan was reduced to tears on stage at the Singapore International Film Festival on Thursday as he recalled the weakest moments of his acting career. The actor spoke about how three decades of nonstop work had cost him years with his family.

Aamir Khan breaks down talking about career

On Thursday, at the Singapore film festival, the Bollywood superstar was awarded the Screen Icon Award by renowned Hong Kong-based film director Peter Chan Ho-sun. Later in the evening, Aamir sat down for a chat about his life and work in a conversation session moderated by Singapore comedian Rishi Budhrani.

When asked about the weakest moment in his career, Aamir responded, “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.”

Aamir then paused while speaking and broke down in tears. The actor then apologised to the audience before gathering himself as the crowd broke into applause. Wiping his tears away, Aamir added that the experience pushed him to make a major change, and that for the last four years he has deliberately carved out time for his 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,” he added.

Aamir recalls early flops

In the same answer about his weakest moments, Aamir Khan recounted an earlier low point from the start of his career. After his 1988 debut Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was a huge success, Aamir recalled signing nine films within six months. However, he realised his mistake once filming began. Aamir said he would come home and weep to his then-wife Reena. The films then flopped one after another, and he was branded a “one-film wonder.”

“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,” Aamir added.

Aamir Khan at the Singapore International Film Festival

Accepting the Screen Icon Award, Aamir Khan thanked the festival and said that having Chan present it made the moment special. “Filmmaking is a collective art form, and a lot of people contribute to each other’s work,” he said. Aamir last attended the festival nine years ago with his production Secret Superstar. This year, he also has a 25th anniversary screening of Lagaan, his first film as producer, lined up at the festival.