“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.
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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.