Imran Khan speaks on leaving Bollywood after Katti Batti debacle: “It was kind of a process”

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, last seen in the 2015 film Katti Batti, has shed light on his decision to leave the industry. In a candid interview with Film Companion, Imran discussed the disconnect he felt between his passion for films and the industry's focus on commercial success.

The actor highlighted the importance of box office figures and financial gains within the film industry. He expressed his discomfort with the ecosystem surrounding actors, where aspects like PR, management, and even minor appearances are evaluated through a purely monetary lens. This constant focus on money, he felt, overshadowed the artistic aspects of filmmaking.

While acknowledging the financial security his film career provided, the actor revealed that the failure of Katti Batti wasn't the sole trigger for his exit. It was a gradual process. He stated, "I never said, ‘Okay, on this day, I’m done, I quit.’  It was kind of a process of a week becoming a month, a month becoming three and becoming a year, and a year becoming two where I said, ‘Okay, I won’t do this because my heart’s not in it.”

As the conversation progressed further, Imran spoke about how building the financial security from his film career allowed him to explore other paths in life.  He elaborated, "Effectively I spent my 20s, working and building and setting up a career. In my 30s, that ended up not being the thing that I felt like focusing on. Life took me in another direction. Effectively these past 10 years I have spent kind of grappling with the larger questions of who am I, what do I want to do, what do I want to be. A series of life circumstances led me to a place where I was not getting the fulfilment.”

Imran is best known for Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na and Delhi Belly. Post his exit from the industry, he refrained from giving interviews. However, recently, he started interacting with his fans through social media. His Instagram feed is filled with throwback posts from the sets of his film, Reportedly, he is all set to make a comeback. 

Also Read: Imran Khan on his mental health battle and seeking therapy after quitting Bollywood: “I felt damaged on the inside and I wanted to fix that”