Aamir Khan Breaks Silence on PK Controversy: “My Daughter Married a Hindu, Is That Love Jihad?”
The Bollywood icon sets the record straight on religion, interfaith love, and the deeper message of PK.
Mumbai, June 15: Aamir Khan isn’t one to sidestep tough questions. But this time, when dragged back into the decade-old debate around his 2014 hit PK, the actor didn’t just defend the film — he opened up about his family, his faith, and the tangled politics around what love looks like in modern India.
‘PK never mocked faith — it mocked frauds’
The film, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, followed an alien’s wide-eyed journey through India’s religious landscape. And while it raked in both praise and controversy, critics from fringe groups insisted it was “anti-Hindu” and even accused it of encouraging “love jihad.”
Khan, who played the titular role, has now responded head-on. In a recent appearance on Aap Ki Adalat, he calmly shut down the conspiracy narrative. “My daughter and sisters have all married Hindu men,” he said, “Is that love jihad? What are we even saying here?”
His voice wasn’t angry — it was more baffled. Like he couldn’t quite believe we were still having this conversation in 2025.
The politics of a punchline
PK poked fun at blind faith, superstitions, and godmen who profit from people’s fears. But somewhere in the punchlines, sections of the public read subtext. Misread, maybe.
The film showed a Muslim man and a Hindu woman falling in love — and according to some, that was all it took to stoke controversy. Aamir, clearly exasperated, reminded viewers that the story was never about converting anyone. “It’s about questioning frauds, not faith. There’s a big difference,” he said.
The scene that sparked the biggest row? It wasn’t violent or vulgar. Just a quiet moment of interfaith love and trust. And yet, it was enough to trigger a firestorm.
Family as proof
When critics accused Aamir of pushing a hidden agenda, he didn’t just issue a statement — he pointed to his own life.
“My daughter Ira, she married a Hindu man,” he shared. “My sisters too. And my children’s names — they weren’t forced. Their mothers chose them.” There was something achingly honest about that. Not a PR-polished rebuttal, just a father and brother standing by the people he loves.
And that’s perhaps what hits hardest: Aamir wasn’t defending a film. He was defending his home.
Why now?
So why bring this up again, after all these years?
Well, the timing isn’t random. In the backdrop of recent debates over interfaith marriages and “conversion rackets” in the political sphere, the ghosts of PK were bound to resurface.
There’s been a fresh wave of online trolling, edited clips from the film doing rounds again, and yet another effort to twist art into ideology. So Aamir, like any artist who still believes in the truth of his work, decided to step back in.
“I’m not against any religion,” he repeated. “I respect all of them. But I will always question those who misuse religion for profit or power.”
An old wound, reopened
The wounds from PK’s original release haven’t fully healed. Back in 2014, theatres screening the film were vandalised. Boycott campaigns flourished. Even legal petitions were filed to ban it.
But the film endured — commercially and critically. It earned more than ₹770 crore globally and is still considered one of Hindi cinema’s most daring social satires.
The irony is that in trying to bridge religious divides through humor and innocence, PK ended up caught in the very web of suspicion it tried to unravel.
Bigger than Bollywood
What Aamir is saying now, though, isn’t really about cinema. It’s about us — our growing comfort with mistrust, our quickness to judge love across lines of faith, and our tendency to weaponize identity.
“You don’t ask someone their religion when you love them,” he said simply. It was one of those truths that doesn’t need embellishing.
And maybe that’s what makes Aamir Khan different. He’s not trying to win applause or silence critics. He’s just trying to say what should’ve been obvious all along.
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Sneha Kashyap is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, specializing in the vibrant world of entertainment and contemporary lifestyle trends. A student at GGSIPU, Delhi, Sneha brings a fresh perspective and a keen eye for cultural narratives to her daily reporting. She is dedicated to exploring the latest in film, music, fashion, and social phenomena, offering readers insightful and engaging content.
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- Sneha Kashyaphttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/sneha_kashyap/
- Sneha Kashyaphttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/sneha_kashyap/
- Sneha Kashyaphttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/sneha_kashyap/
