Kiran Rao wears many hats. She's a director, screenwriter, and producer who has left her mark on Bollywood. But beyond the glitz and glamour, Rao is also a doting mother. In a recent interview with Zoom, the filmmaker delved into her personal life, discussing motherhood, her relationship with ex-husband Aamir Khan, and her son Azad's aspirations.
The interview sheds light on Kiran Rao's struggles with infertility. Before welcoming her son Azad through surrogacy in 2011, Rao endured several miscarriages. “For five years, I had a lot of miscarriages, a lot of personal, physical health issues,” she shared. The desire for motherhood was strong, and Azad's arrival brought immense joy. “When Azad was born it was… I didn't have to make a decision. Obviously, all I wanted to do was raise my baby,” Kiran said.
Motherhood took precedence over her career for a period. “I enjoyed having Azad so much,” she said. “Those were some of the best years of my life. I'll never regret not having made a film in 10 years. I have no regrets because I enjoyed it thoroughly.”
While Azad might not be following in his parents' footsteps, his interests lie elsewhere. “No, not at this point,” Kiran replied when asked about Azad's interest in films. “He is not interested in films,” she revealed, adding that he is “very interested in art and music and animation.”
The conversation also addressed misconceptions about Kiran Rao's relationship with Aamir Khan. Many believe their connection began during the filming of Lagaan, a movie Khan starred in and Rao assisted on. However, Kiran clarified, stating, “Lots of people think that Aamir and I connected on Lagaan, we absolutely did not. He had his own life going on. In fact, (he) went through his divorce after that.”
She elaborated on the timeline, explaining, “Aamir and I actually got together during Swades because he was going to be shooting Mangal Pandey and they were recceing in and around where we were shooting Swades. We had just shot a couple of commercials together with Ashu (Ashutosh Gowarikar) for Coke. Coke Punjabi and all of those. And that is where Aamir and I reconnected, because like for 3-4 years after Lagaan, I had not really been in touch with him.”
Furthermore, Rao emphasized the professional nature of their initial interactions on Lagaan. "On Lagaan, I barely had any interaction with him (Aamir Khan) because he had his own make-up artist," she said. "I was dealing with most of the other actors. Of course, I was dealing with him as well, but Nicole used to do only his make-up. I had like 50 actors to put through all the other makeup departments."
While their relationship blossomed later, they maintained a cordial professional bond. “So on Lagaan, we had a friendly relationship and I kind of hung out with him. But I had my own gang. I was seeing somebody else on Lagaan. That's another story,” Kiran revealed. She firmly debunked the rumors surrounding the couple's connection and its impact on Aamir Khan's first marriage. “But when we did start hanging out in 2004, everybody assumed that it had started and that this had caused the divorce, which was not the fact,” she stated clearly.
Kiran Rao's career boasts directorial ventures like the acclaimed Dhobi Ghat and Laapataa Ladies, the latter co-produced by Aamir Khan. Despite their separation in 2021, they continue to co-parent their son Azad. ALSO READ: Kiran Rao speaks about her divorce process with Aamir Khan; says, “We had done it in a very slow and measured way”
