Aamir Khan addresses PK religious controversy and interfaith love, providing a direct response to ongoing allegations surrounding the film’s depiction of religion and interfaith relationships during a recent interview with India TV. As the actor-producer prepares for the premiere of Sitaare Zameen Par, his comments have reignited public interest in the debate over religious sensitivity and cultural representation in Indian cinema.
Aamir Khan Responds to Accusations About PK
In the ongoing dialogue about faith, social media users and several groups have accused Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani’s 2014 film PK of disrespecting religious beliefs and promoting the idea of love jihad. The film tells the story of an alien, played by Aamir, challenging ritualistic practices and confronting those who take advantage of religion for personal profit. Aamir directly tackled the controversy by stating,
“They’re wrong. We’re not against any religion. We respect all religions and all religious people. That film just tells us to be cautious of those who exploit religion to fool the common man in order to extract money from them. You’ll find people like that in every religion. That was the film’s only purpose.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Despite being one of India’s highest-grossing films, PK drew significant criticism for its narrative choices, notably the subplot featuring Anushka Sharma as a Hindu woman and Sushant Singh Rajput as a Muslim man from Pakistan. This storyline led to claims that the movie encourages interfaith relationships as a form of love jihad. Responding to this particular aspect, Aamir emphasized,
“This is just humanity. It’s above religion. When people from two religions, particularly Hindu and Muslim, fall in love and get married, that’s not always love jihad.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Personal Experiences Highlight Khan’s Views on Interfaith Relationships
Turning to his personal life, Aamir used his family as evidence to support his views on interfaith harmony. He mentioned that his sisters, Nikhat and Farhat, are married to Santosh Hegde and Rajeev Dutta, respectively, and that his daughter Ira Khan, whom he shares with ex-wife Reena Dutta, married Nupur Shikhare in 2023. Both his ex-wives, Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao, come from Hindu backgrounds.
Aamir humorously pointed out how decisions about his children’s names were left to their mothers. He reflected on this dynamic by saying,
“My kids have been named by my wives. There wasn’t any interference from my end. Husbands ki zyada chalti nahi hai (Husbands don’t have too much of a say).”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Explaining the Names of His Children
Diving deeper into his daughter’s identity, Aamir explained that Ira’s name comes from “Irawati,” echoing the goddess Saraswati, which his former wife Reena chose.
“Have you heard of Irawati? It’s just that Reena wanted to pronounce it differently.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Referencing a broader cultural horizon, he revealed they discovered the name in The Penguin Book of Hindu Names by Maneka Gandhi. Regarding his son Azad, whose mother is Kiran Rao, Aamir clarified that Azad is a tribute to the freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad and is not exclusively a Muslim name. He said,
“Azad isn’t a Muslim name. Haven’t you heard of Chandrashekhar Azad? He was also a freedom fighter. It’s a neutral name.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
The name also honors Maulana Azad, who was India’s first education minister and a prominent figure in the nation’s independence movement.
Khan’s Perspective on National and Religious Identity
Touching on the subject of identity, Aamir asserted his pride in being a Muslim and an Indian, stating,
“I’m very proud I’m a Muslim. I’m also proud I’m a Hindustani. Both of these statements are true,”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Addressing criticism from different sections of society, the actor offered a perspective on facing opposing views:
“That only proves I’m doing the right thing.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Aamir also mentioned his socially conscious television show Satyamev Jayate and his involvement with the NGO Paani Foundation, linking his professional work to wider social themes.
Distinguishing Film Content from Real-World Targeting
To further clarify his position on religious representation in cinema, Aamir referred to his film Secret Superstar, which depicted the struggles of a Muslim family facing domestic challenges. He questioned how audiences perceive religions on screen by asking,
“Have you seen the film Secret Superstar? What’s the religion of that family? So there’s nothing like that,”
—Aamir Khan, Actor-Producer
Broader Impacts on Indian Society and Cinema
Khan’s remarks arrive just days before the premiere of Sitaare Zameen Par and have brought renewed attention to India’s ongoing debate about religion, identity, and interfaith relationships in media. As discussions around Aamir Khan addresses PK religious controversy and interfaith love continue, the public, filmmakers, and cultural critics remain engaged, reflecting on the role popular cinema plays in shaping social perceptions and the challenges celebrities face when navigating complex cultural landscapes.
