Singapore: Aamir Khan accepted the Screen Icon Award at the Singapore International Film Festival on Thursday and then did something rare for a star of his discipline: he broke down while calculating what 30 years of obsessive work had cost him away from the camera.
The reckoning that arrived during Covid
Khan, 61, said the moment of clarity came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the pause forced him to sit still. Looking back at nearly three decades, he concluded that obsession may be sustainable for a year, two years or five years, but not for 30. By then his children were adults and the distance had hardened. He described ‘a deep sense of loss’, as reported by Hindustan Times, paused on stage to collect himself, and received applause from the audience.
The fear after a dream debut
Khan also revisited an earlier career wound. After Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) made him a star, he signed nine projects within six months. When a run of films failed, he feared being remembered as a one-hit wonder and recalled crying to his then-wife Reena. The actor compared his state to quicksand: the more he struggled, the deeper he sank.
Two moments, one question
The festival appearance connected two vulnerabilities decades apart. The first tested a young actor’s confidence; the second forced a meticulous star to ask what success means beyond the screen. The award was presented by Hong Kong filmmaker Peter Chan Ho-sun, and the conversation was moderated by Singaporean comedian Rishi Budhrani. Khan last attended the festival nine years ago with Secret Superstar, and this year he is also marking the 25th anniversary of Lagaan, his first production.
Why it matters
Hindi cinema rarely sees its most exacting figures confess in these terms. Khan built his reputation on long, all-consuming preparation, and Lagaan remains the emblem of that approach. His Singapore appearance reframes some of that mythology: the same discipline that produced a landmark also consumed the years he now says he cannot recover.
- 1988: Debuted with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and signed nine films within six months.
- 2020-21: During the Covid pause, concluded that 30 years of work had cost him relationships and time with his children.
- 2026: Accepted the Screen Icon Award in Singapore and marked the 25th anniversary of Lagaan.
What to do about it
Khan said he felt fortunate the thought arrived at 56 rather than 86, because there was still time to act. Over the past four years, he has tried to make room for family and close friends. The lesson for creative workers is not to abandon ambition but to bound it: treat obsession as a phase, protect time with people, and review the balance before a forced pause or a landmark anniversary does it for you.
Source: India Today
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