Why Imran Khan left films

Brut India

“I was feeling incomplete.” Why did Imran Khan suddenly disappear from the silver screen? When will he return? The actor reveals all this and more.  📹:

Transcript

00:00I will take on a project that wins my heart.

00:02I'm not seeking those things and I'm aware that I'm not doing okay.

00:06I'm at a low ebb.

00:08I need to address myself, my own emotional mental health.

00:12I'm actively looking.

00:13I have been meeting people.

00:15I've been reading script.

00:16I've been approached for a number of brand endorsements.

00:19I'm consciously trying to avoid that because I feel like it will have a bad aftertaste.

00:30So, your last project was in 2015.

00:51Yeah.

00:52Where have you been?

00:54Around 2014, 15, 16, in those years, I had started to take very serious stock of my life

01:03and myself.

01:07And I had just become a father.

01:08My daughter was born in 2014.

01:11And around that time, I was looking around and taking stock.

01:16I had been working for a good number of years.

01:21I was financially extremely comfortable.

01:28But I was feeling incomplete.

01:32I was feeling damaged.

01:33I was feeling like I was not okay.

01:37And logically, intellectually, if I looked around the things that you're saying, it's

01:41like, okay, but you are working with some of the most desirable production houses, co-stars,

01:49directors, what have you.

01:50So, these things are working fine.

01:52You are very, very blessed, privileged and fortunate that you have no financial insecurities.

02:01In fact, you are far, far, far more comfortable than is even reasonable.

02:07Then what's the problem?

02:09What is this feeling?

02:10What is lacking?

02:11And say, okay, unless my heart is in the film, I don't want to do it right now.

02:17What are the reasons to take on a film?

02:21For the paycheck?

02:22I'm not judging it.

02:23I'm saying it's a valid reason.

02:25But that was not the motivating factor.

02:26That was not a criteria for you?

02:27For me, it was not.

02:28It may well be.

02:29And I would never judge that.

02:30So, if that is your reason, please do it.

02:34I said, look, I'm financially very comfortable.

02:37I don't need the paycheck.

02:38So, that's not a valid reason for me.

02:40I won't do it for that reason.

02:42The second reason is because it's a good career move.

02:46It's a good project.

02:47You'll be seen in a good place.

02:48And this is a good career building block.

02:51Once again, that's not a valid reason for me.

02:54It may be a valid reason at some point.

02:57It may be a valid reason for another.

02:58Today, for me, that's not a reason.

03:01And so, that goes off the table.

03:02That also is not a reason.

03:03The third reason, as I saw it, was you do a film because it wins your heart.

03:10It's not about how much money they pay you or how much money it will earn.

03:14It is not about how it is received.

03:16It is something that you do for love of the craft.

03:18It's something that you would do for free just because you love it that much.

03:23That's the real reason to do a film.

03:25I said, okay, until I feel that way, I won't take on a project.

03:30I won't take on a project for those two reasons.

03:32I will take on a project that wins my heart, that makes me say, this is the thing, I absolutely

03:38must do this.

03:39There is a valid reason for working.

03:41And in the interim, since I am not seeking those things and I am aware that I am not

03:47doing okay, I am at a low ebb, I need to address myself, my own emotional and mental health.

03:56And that is where I kind of made that my mission.

03:57So, I am going to ask you a very annoying question.

04:00When?

04:01When do I?

04:02I really need to complete it.

04:04I still, at this moment, have not signed a film.

04:07But you are open to it.

04:08I am actively open.

04:09I am actively looking.

04:10Okay.

04:11I have been meeting people.

04:12I have been reading scripts.

04:13I am looking for something.

04:14I have been approached for a number of brand endorsements, partnerships, all of this.

04:19Again, I have not taken any of those up because those would be very clearly for the money.

04:25And I am very cognizant, I am consciously trying to avoid that because I feel like it

04:33will have a bad aftertaste.

04:34I don't want for someone to look at this today and say, oh, you got a bit of attention and

04:40the first thing you did was?

04:41You moved it.

04:42Yeah.

04:43Yeah.

04:44You sold out and you showed up for a paycheck.

04:47I wanted to be very, very clear about that part of it that I am not doing it for that

04:52and I am not chasing that.

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