Junaid Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, recently made his acting debut with Maharaj (2024). In a candid conversation, Junaid opened up about his childhood and the experience of growing up with divorced parents. Aamir Khan and his first wife, Reena Dutta, ended their 16-year marriage in 2002. Aamir later tied the knot with Kiran Rao in 2005, with whom he shares a son, Azad.
Reflecting on his parents’ divorce, Junaid shared in an interview with Vicky Lalwani, “It was good. My parents split up, I think, when I was eight. But they never actually let us feel that. I never saw them fight till I was 19. The first time I saw my parents fight, I was 19. So we never saw them disagree or fight. They always… When it came to us (Junaid and his sister Ira) they were a single unit. So, I think that way they did well. I think it was probably a mature thing to do. I mean two good people aren’t always good together and this way we got, at least I got a childhood with both parents being happy.”
Junaid also shared insights about the family’s close-knit bond, mentioning their regular meetups. He said, “It’s great. We meet frequently (after her marriage). We all live within the same 100-metre radius. So we meet often. In fact, every Tuesday evening is family tea. So, mum, Ira, me and dad, sometimes some of us may not be free, but otherwise every Tuesday evening we meet where there are all four of us or three or two. For a few years now we’ve been doing that. We meet quite frequently.”
Junaid also touched upon how his father has changed over the years. “I think he… I think we all evolve as humans as time goes by. As he is getting older he is wanting to spend more time with us. Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes it’s like, ‘papa please…’ By and large mostly it’s a good thing,” he shared.
The actor emphasized that his parents’ separation didn’t impact his childhood negatively. “Personally I don’t think I missed it so much. Papa used to be there. It’s not like he was entirely not there. In fact sometimes it was like, ‘it’s ok, don’t come…’” he revealed.
Despite Aamir’s divorces from Reena Dutta and later Kiran Rao, the family continues to share a strong bond. Aamir’s children, Junaid and Ira, grew up in a loving and supportive environment, with their father actively involved in their lives. As Junaid explained, his parents’ decision to part ways was a “mature thing to do,” ensuring a happy upbringing for him and his sister.
On the professional front, Junaid is set to star opposite Sridevi’s daughter, actress Khushi Kapoor, in Loveyapa. He will also be seen in another project with Sai Pallavi later this year.
