Imran Khan struggles to arrange daughter’s playdates, parents hesitant to send kids to a single man’s home

He then reflected on a realisation that gradually set in. “So I started to notice that some moms were maybe not so comfortable sending their child, particularly if it’s a girl, to a house where a single man is living. I’m a man and I’m the father, but since I’m divorced now, there is no woman at home.” He added, “So I would try and make a plan, and they would say, ‘Sorry, not today,’ ‘Sorry, busy,’ ‘Sorry, tennis class today,’ ‘Sorry, tuition today” And it would be like this enough times that even after four times I had asked, it was still a ‘no’.”

‘Enough problematic men in our society’

He said he understood their perspective as well, adding, “So, look, we also live in a world where there are enough problematic men. You can kind of understand where this thinking comes from. It was heartbreaking because week after week I had to tell my daughter, “Sorry, your friend can’t come.””

Parineeti Chopra reacted with surprise at his comments and added, “If the same thing was a female single parent, I don’t even want to say single mother, just a single parent, I don’t think they would have this problem. In fact, I think people would be empathetic. They would think, ‘Oh, she’s a single mother calling, I should send my daughter to play.’ But the same thing, a single father can’t do.”

Imran further reflected on the broader emotional gap and support systems, saying, “So I guess that is an area where maybe other moms would cluster together to support and say, ‘Hey, you’re a single mom, we’re going to come to you, we’re going to help.’ A single father doesn’t have that, which is also part of the unfortunate nature of male relationships. There is a restrictive version of manhood that is taught to all men, men are strong, men are not like that. So within that, some of these more vulnerable parts of yourself maybe don’t get addressed, where a woman will have two or three girlfriends who respond emotionally and support you there. Male relationships, unfortunately, often have that ‘yaar, bro, be a man, don’t be weak’.”

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Imran had previously revealed in a conversation with the Times of India that his daughter lives with him from Thursday to Sunday after he separated from his wife seven years ago. He shared that in all these years, he has never hired a nanny or external help, and deeply values the time he spends with her. “Me and my ex-wife have split custody. Thursday to Sundays, she is with me. I put her to bed, read to her at night, get her up in the morning, pack her dabba, drive her to school and pick her up from school. Because this is the most valuable for me”

Imran Khan married Avantika Malik in 2011. In June 2014, the couple welcomed their daughter, Imara. They later separated after an eight-year-long marriage due to irreconcilable differences. In 2024, Imran publicly confirmed his relationship with actress Lekha Washington.

Disclaimer: This article explores personal reflections on single parenting, family structures, and societal perceptions. The perspectives and experiences shared are deeply personal and are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute professional psychological, relationship, or family counselling advice.