EXCLUSIVE: Aamir Khan's thoughtful advice to guilt-stricken daughter Ira on not earning money is as beautiful as it gets: 'Kuch log logon ke...'

In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Aamir Khan and his daughter Ira Khan opened up about deep emotions surrounding guilt, self-worth, and finding purpose. Their honest exchange offered a rare glimpse into their bond, as Aamir gently guided Ira towards embracing her journey without self-judgment.

During the chat, Ira candidly shared her internal struggles before starting her mental health foundation, Agatsu. She revealed, "mere maa baap ne mere upar, main 26-27 saal ki hoon, mere upar bahot paise kharch kiye hain, aur main duniya mein bekar insaan hoon, main kuch nhi kar rahi hoon" (My parents have spent a lot of money on me, I am 26–27 years old, and I feel like a useless person in this world, I am not doing anything).

Hearing this, Aamir immediately stepped in to clarify Ira’s feelings, saying, "inka matlab hai, paise naa kamana..." (She means not earning money...). Ira agreed, adding, "not earning money, not doing something worthy, before starting Agatsu."

As the conversation deepened, Aamir shared a perspective that stayed with many. Speaking about the societal obsession with earning, he said, "Kuch log logon ke kaam aate hain, aur uske awaz mein paisa lete hain, as long as main logon ke kaam aaun, and uske badle paisa loon ya nhi, that's a separate issue. aap logon ke kaam aao, ye kaafi hai." (Some people help others and take money for it; whether or not you take money, as long as you are helping others, that’s enough.)

He added warmly, reflecting on Ira’s work with Agatsu, "aap itna logon ki help kar rahin hain, as a father ye mere liye bahot badi cheez hai. aap paise kama rahe ho ya nhi, wo mere liye important nhi hai, aap kaam accha kar rahe ho, ye mere liye important hai." (You are helping so many people, and as a father, that means a lot to me. Whether you are earning money or not is not important to me; the important thing is that you are doing good work.)

Aamir further explained how money, at its core, is just a promissory note that society collectively agrees to value. He said, "money is actually a promissory note that everyone decides to agree to or else it's just a piece of paper." He reflected that some incredibly talented people cannot fit into the modern structure of earning a salaried income, but that doesn't diminish their worth.

Turning to his advice for Ira, Aamir shared, "Maine Ira ko bola aap apni zindagi ka maksad samjho aur aap logon ke kaam aao." (I told Ira to understand the purpose of her life and to help people.) He also reassured her that, as her parents are financially stable, she should focus on Agatsu rather than feel pressured to earn through a job, as that could halt the incredible work the foundation is doing.

Watch the full conversation here:

For those who are unaware, Ira Khan, Aamir Khan’s daughter with his first wife Reena Dutta, is the founder and CEO of Agatsu, a mental health and well-being organization.

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