Imran Khan chose divorce with Avantika to protect daughter from ‘unhealthy patterns’

The actor then drew experiences from his own childhood, recalling how he grew up with divorced parents in the 1980s. He shared that his mother had to face the social judgement and those bitter memories made him believe that shielding appearances should never come at the cost of a child’s emotional wellbeing.

ALSO READ | Imran Khan calls parenting a ‘privilege,’ not a ‘duty’: ‘It’s not about fulfilling a role’

Imran revealed that he eventually realised that children learn more from the relationships they see instead of the explanations adults give. He then credited his daughter Amara, for helping him through the most difficult periods of his life. Talking about their bond, he explained, “Words are inadequate. I can never find enough words or potent enough words to express the joy, the love, the value and the meaning that she’s brought to my life.”

When asked about how he speaks about sensitive topics with his daughter, Imran Khan emphasised on the importance of transparency without burdening children. He believes children need reassurance that their parents can manage difficult situations. “So the way that I have approached this or any complicated conversation with Amara is to say, ‘Look, here are the basic facts. Beyond this is not something for you to worry about because you’re a child… You can feel all of the things, but don’t worry about it because I got this.'”

Imran Khan’s personal life

Imran Khan and Avantika Malik started dating at the age of 19 and got married later in 2011. They got blessed with a daughter, Imara, in 2014. After eight years of marriage, the couple separated in 2019, got divorced, and have been co-parenting their daughter.

The actor’s relationship with Lekha Washington blossomed during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. Meanwhile, in a recent interview with TOI, Lekha recalled being tagged with labels like ‘sl*t’ and ‘homewrecker’. She also described her relationship with Imran as ‘mature and grounded’.