Amid the ongoing protest controversy, an old interview of Imran Khan has resurfaced in which the actor opened up about his separation from Avantika Malik and his mental health journey
Published: October 15, 2026, 5:44 PM IST
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Imran Khan and Avantika Malik (PC- Instagram)
Actor Imran Khan is currently making headlines following his participation in a CJP protest in Mumbai against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh KumarThe actor, who is not an Indian citizen, has reportedly been asked to leave the country by October 28Amid the controversy, an old interview of the Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na star has resurfaced, in which he opened up about his separation from former wife Avantika Malik, his mental health struggles and why he believes ending their marriage was an important step towards healing.
In February 2026, Imran opened up about his mental health journey and explained that his separation was not the reason for his emotional strugglesInstead, he said that ending an unhealthy relationship became a turning point that helped him focus on healing.
The actor also spoke about how his understanding of relationships changed as he grew older and why he believes staying in an unhealthy environment can affect both partners and their children.
Imran Khan On His Relationship With Avantika Malik
Imran and Avantika were together from a young age before getting married in 2011Reflecting on their relationship, the actor explained that he began understanding their dynamic differently as he became more aware of what makes a relationship healthy.
“Within that I developed the understanding that my dynamic with my partner was unhealthyIt was a relationship that started at a very young age and when you were 18 19 years old you don’t have nearly enough life experience to have an understanding of what are healthy interpersonal dynamics and what are unhealthy dynamics,” he said.
He further explained that he eventually realised they were caught in a pattern they could not change“It’s only as I started to become a little more aware and a little more conscious that I realised we are this and it’s not a healthy patternWe are locked in a cycle that we are unable to to fix or change,” he explained.
The couple separated in 2019 and share a daughter, Imara.
‘Ending My Marriage Was The Turning Point’: Imran Khan
Addressing the perception that his separation had led to his mental health struggles, Imran said his experience was quite the opposite. “The truth is far from itI was infact in the worst years of it during the last couple of years of my marriage,” he said.
The actor explained that his decision to end the marriage helped him begin the process of healing. “It is my making the choice to end my marriage that was the turning point in my personal mental health journey that that allowed me to actually heal and get better,” he added.
Imran also made it clear that he did not blame Avantika for what happened in their relationship. “I don’t blame anyone for this,” he said, explaining that they had struggled to help each other become the best versions of themselves.
Imran also spoke about the emotional challenges that come with separation, especially when a child is involvedHe explained that while ending a relationship can be painful for everyone, staying in an unhealthy situation may cause greater harm over time“While a a partner’s separation is unpleasant and hurtful to all – from the two individuals involved, the family, the child, it is still preferable over remaining in an unhealthy dynamic because to perpetuate an unhealthy pattern is madness,” he explained.
He added that children can also be affected when they grow up witnessing unhealthy relationship patterns“It is ultimately damaging for both and it is unhealthy for a child because you are teaching and showing a child that you continue to support and to propagate an unhealthy pattern.”
