Aamir Khan recalls stopping Shabana Azmi from speaking to his father after he forbade him from joining films: 'He will kill me'

Aamir Khan may belong to a family of filmmakers, but even as an industry insider, his journey into films wasn’t easy. His father, Tahir Hussain, was a film producer, yet he didn’t want his children to enter the movie business, as he saw it as an unstable and risky career. While Aamir’s uncle, Nasir Hussain, was a successful filmmaker, his father still didn’t trust the industry. Speaking at the recent Waves Summit, Aamir revealed that his father had strictly told him not to pursue films. He added that if his father had found out about his plans, “voh toh meri jaan hi le lenge (He will kill me).”

Aamir had to go against his family’s wishes

Aamir, despite belonging to a family involved in filmmaking, faced strong resistance when he decided to pursue a career in the movies. His father, film producer Tahir Hussain, and his mother were firmly against the idea, believing the industry was too unstable. With little room for discussion and a father known for his short temper, Aamir had to go against his family’s wishes to chase his dream of becoming an actor.

Tennis dreams cut short by strict parenting

The Bollywood star shared a personal story from his teenage years to highlight how strict his father was. He recalled being a top tennis player in Maharashtra at the sub-junior level, dedicating several hours daily to the sport. However, after he narrowly failed a couple of subjects in an exam, his father, upset with the results, suddenly banned him from playing tennis. Despite being at the peak of his game, Aamir had to quit the sport entirely and was never able to pursue it again.

A warning to Shabana Azmi

He further recalled that he once acted in a short film, which was later seen by Shabana Azmi. Impressed by his performance, she was surprised to learn that he was Tahir Hussain’s son and expressed her desire to tell his father about his talent. However, Aamir became anxious and pleaded with her not to share anything with him, fearing his father's disapproval and strict stance on joining the film industry.

Debut with family support—eventually

A few years after that early experience, Aamir Khan officially entered the film industry with his debut in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, a film produced by his uncle Nasir Hussain and directed by his cousin Mansoor Khan. Since then, he has built a successful career spanning over 36 years in Indian cinema.