Kiran Rao has often openly discussed her relationship with former husband and Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan. The couple, who surprised many with their separation three years ago, continue to maintain a strong friendship and co-parent their son. They recently collaborated to direct and produce ‘Laapataa Ladies’, which received positive responses from critics as well as the audience.
In a recent interview on the Faye D’Souza Show, Kiran opened up about the divorce, saying, ‘I feel relationships need to be redefined from time to time because we change as human beings as we grow. We need different things, and this (divorce) is what I felt would make me happy and has made me very happy, honestly.’ She added that it is a ‘very happy divorce.’
Kiran Rao shared that before meeting Aamir Khan, she had been single for a long time and enjoyed her independence. She mentioned that while she had felt lonely before, she doesn't feel that way anymore because of her son, Azad.
‘I think loneliness is the main concern for most people when they get divorced or lose a partner. I haven't felt lonely at all. In fact, I am supported by both families, his and mine. So, actually, it's been only good stuff. It's been a very happy divorce,’ she said.
Kiran shared that she and Aamir ‘took a while to get there emotionally and mentally.’ She said, ‘We needed to be secure in the fact that we are not going anywhere, we are there for each other for the long term. It's just that we don't have to be married.’
Kiran said she knew she would survive the divorce as she shared a strong relationship with Aamir as a co-parent to Azad and as a family. ‘I felt secure that I would be able to have my independent, individual time to myself and my life ahead without losing, for instance, the love of a partner, the security, and comfort of knowing that Azad's dad is also my friend, is also my family,’ she said.
She emphasized that there is no love lost between her and Aamir. ‘There's a lot of love, respect, shared history, shared laughs, shared ideology—many things we value in each other. I didn't want to lose that. When I was secure enough to say, 'We don't need the paper to say we're married, but we know what we mean to each other'... This is a partnership that will stand the test of time despite the divorce,’ Kiran explained.
Aamir Khan met Kiran Rao while filming ‘Lagaan’ 20 years ago, where Kiran was one of the assistant directors.
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