Kiran Rao & Aamir Khan married due to their Parents

Kiran Rao stated that she got married to Aamir Khan due to their parents.

She was married to the superstar for 16 years, tying the knot in 2005. They were together until 2021.

However, Kiran clarified that the couple got married because of parental pressure.

Before marrying, they were in a live-in relationship.

She said: “Aamir and I lived together for a year before we got married honestly.

“We did it more because of parents and you know, all the rest of it.

“Even at that time, we knew that it’s a great institution if you can function as individuals as well as a couple within that institution.

“The thing we don’t talk about enough is how marriage tends to stifle, especially women.

“How you could find perhaps a way to be yourself within the institution.

“That’s something up for debate and discussion. Esther Perel has written an amazing book on it, and it’s very interesting.

“As apes, we were living together. This nuclear family setup is a pressure, and it’s a pressure, especially on women.

“There’s so much responsibility on the women to run the house, keep the family together.

“In fact, women are expected to keep in touch with the in-laws, to be in touch with your husband’s family.

“That’s a lot of expectation.”

Delving into her decision to publicly announce her divorce, Kiran Rao continued:

“It was a conscious decision because in some ways, we do realise that.

“You know you are in the public gaze. You are living your life very publicly.

“What we were doing was completely legal, morally and ethically fine.

“It’s better to be upfront about it and not let people guess about it.

“Then what happens is even after you have said it, people can assign meaning to it but when you don’t, it’s very easy for people to be catty.

“And we have seen how big public personalities have been dragged through things when they are going through trouble and painful time.”

Kiran and Aamir met when the former was an assistant director on the sets of Lagaan (2001).

After Aamir split from his first wife Reena Dutta in 2002, his relationship with Kiran intensified.

The Laal Singh Chaddha actor also starred in Kiran’s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat (2010).

On the work front, Kiran Rao returned to direction with Laapataa Ladies (2024), which was produced by Aamir Khan.