Actor Imran Khan may be away from films for a while, but fans are waiting to see him back on screen. He also continues to keep people updated about his life through social media and has been a huge inspiration as well as a single father.
Imran and Avantika Malik separated in 2024 and have since been co-parenting their daughter. In a previous interview with ETimes, Imran spoke about his bond with his daughter Amara and described her as his “beacon” amidst all the personal struggle he went through during the divorce. The actor has been dating Lekha Washington for a while now, and in a recent interview, he talked about how he introduced his daughter to his girlfriend.
Imran revealed that since Lekha was a part of their lives even before they started dating, the transition was easier, but he still believes it is important to be honest with Amara about the change in their relationship. “Lekha and I knew each other before we started dating and so Amara knew her too. It’s just that the context of the relationship has changed and I wanted her to know when it happened,” he said in an interview with Hindustan Times.
It’s part of transparency. Trying to hide anything from a child is unhealthy. This is not how you build a healthy relationship.For the actor, honesty and leading by example are essential in parenting. Rather than simply teaching children how to behave, he believes parents should model the values they hope to instill. “Kids do what you do, not what you say. So I want to live my life in a way where I can be a healthy role model for her.”
“It is important to talk to children as if they are rational, thinking beings, and not treat them as lesser.”As Amara grew older, Imran says their relationship developed naturally. With a laugh, he admitted that he was no longer the “cool” parent to her friends. “We’ve gotten to the point where I’m not cool in front of her friends; I still scream ‘I love you,’ but I’m not cool enough to hang out with her friends,” he laughs.Fatherhood has also reshaped the way Imran looks at films and storytelling. Watching children’s content alongside his daughter has made him more aware of how women are portrayed on screen. “I started to see the world through her lens. When I watch anime or movies with her, I realize that I don’t like the way female characters are represented. My misogyny has been reinforced. This prompted me to start looking for positive female representation in my films as well,” he admits.The 43-year-old also shared that he deliberately kept Amara out of the limelight throughout her childhood. It wasn’t until she started noticing strangers approaching him that he explained why people recognized him. “I pushed her away most of the time. People were interacting with me, and at one point, she asked me: ‘Why do people keep taking pictures with you?’ Then I had to explain to her that I had acted in some films and people remember me from there.
I didn’t show her any of my films, because for her strangers still come and greet me.Technology is another area where Imran believes moderation is necessary. He said he set clear boundaries around his daughter’s digital devices. “I’m somewhat conservative about technology adoption. Not just kids, but everyone is online today. So, I created technology adoption guidelines for Imara.”Away from the public eye, the father-daughter duo enjoy simple moments together, from ice skating to hair care.
Imran admitted that learning how to deal with his daughter’s long hair was an experience in itself.“I don’t have as much hair as her,” laughs the actor, adding, “Learning to shampoo, condition and blow-dry her hair are things I had to learn by doing that. I started out making ugly braids which were embarrassing. But I’m better now. It’s been a complete journey.”