At a special gathering for Taare Zameen Par fans in Mumbai on June 2, Aamir Khan made a heartfelt revelation about his son Junaid’s experience with dyslexia, sharing personal stories during a question and answer segment on stage. The event, which highlighted the enduring impact of the 2007 film, included the film’s team such as Darsheel Safary, Vipin Sharma, Tisca Chopra, and the renowned music trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, setting the scene for this emotional disclosure.
Personal Motivation Behind Taare Zameen Par
When a fan inquired about the scene that pushed him to create the beloved film, Khan responded with an openness he said he never shared before.
“I have never said this but now I can open up for two reasons. Firstly, it’s been many years and secondly, I am about to talk about someone who has already publicly said it. Toh ab main khul ke baat kar sakta hoon. I am talking about my son Junaid. It’s been 17 years and I have never said this before. Junaid is dyslexic,”
—Aamir Khan, Actor/Director/Producer.
Khan further recounted his own struggles to understand Junaid’s difficulties with reading and handwriting in childhood.
“Hence when I heard the story for the first time, it hit me because I had been through it myself. Even I used to scold Junaid like Nandkishore Awasthi (the character played by Vipin Sharma)! Kyunki jab woh chhota tha, uski handwriting bahut buri thi. I used to ask him, ‘How can anyone have such bad handwriting? No one will be able to read what you have written’. He would read ‘for’ as ‘from’ or ‘of’. He used to just see the letter ‘f’ and guess the word. Hence, he couldn’t read the word properly. I used to make him understand and also wonder how come he was not able to understand such simple things. Later, we learned that he has dyslexia. Of course, we then took help.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor/Director/Producer.
Discovering a Personal Connection to the Story
Khan explained why the themes of Taare Zameen Par resonated so personally.
“When I heard the story, I realized that yeh meri kahaani hai (smiles). It was very close to me. I never told this to anyone then as I felt that only Junaid had the right to speak about himself. I cannot speak about him.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor/Director/Producer.
Building on his reflections, the actor also revealed his suspicions about his own experience with dyslexia.
“I am sure that even I am dyslexic because even today, I face difficulties with spelling. Maybe, I am mildly dyslexic.”
—Aamir Khan, Actor/Director/Producer.
Clarifying Misconceptions About Dyslexia
Addressing common misunderstandings, Khan was clear about the nature of dyslexia.
“Dyslexia is not a disease. It’s a condition. You cannot get cured of it. You can learn to deal with it better. So, if you have dyslexia, it’ll stay with you for life aur usme koi tension bhi nahin hai kyunki Junaid ko bhi hai aur mere ko bhi hai. Hum dono theek thaak chal rahe hai (smiles).”
—Aamir Khan, Actor/Director/Producer.
Response From the Event and Ongoing Fan Dialogue
The emotional reveal added a deeply personal layer to Taare Zameen Par’s ongoing legacy. Musicians Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and actors including Darsheel Safary, Tisca Chopra, and Vipin Sharma joined fans in reflecting on the film’s importance, with the atmosphere charged by respect and emotion. Junaid Khan, although not present, was mentioned in ways that underscored the film’s message about understanding children’s learning differences.
Impact of the Revelation and Looking Ahead
Aamir Khan’s openness about his son’s journey—and his own—around dyslexia is likely to prompt greater awareness and acceptance within families, schools, and popular culture, putting a human face on the challenges many live with quietly. As both Khan and other team members from the event look back on Taare Zameen Par, his willingness to share such private details helps audiences understand the film’s authenticity and continuing social impact.
