Ira Khan Breaks Silence on Her Deepest Struggles | Mental Health, Abuse & Aamir Khan

Jun 23, 2025

57:26

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In this episode, Ira Khan discusses her journey with mental health, emphasizing the importance of seeking help and the role of family support. She shares personal experiences of feeling empty despite having everything and the challenges of expressing her needs to her family. Ira highlights the significance of parents managing their emotions when supporting their children and encourages open communication in relationships. She also offers practical advice for those struggling, including the importance of sincerity in efforts to improve mental health and the need for connection with others.

👇 About the Guest

Ira Khan is the daughter of Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta. Unlike her father, she has chosen to primarily focus on mental health advocacy and theatre direction. She is the founder and CEO of Agatsu Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to mental health and well-being, driven by her own experiences with depression. Ira has been very open about her personal mental health journey, using her platform to reduce stigma and encourage open conversations. She recently married celebrity fitness trainer Nupur Shikhare.

👇 Highlights

🎥 Mental Health Awareness: One out of seven Indians faces mental health issues, yet 75% do not seek help, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and support.

💬 Communication with Family: Ira emphasizes the necessity for parents to manage their fears and emotions separately from their children’s struggles to provide effective support.

✍️ Expressing Needs: She encourages individuals to communicate their needs to family and friends, using various methods like texts or letters if verbal communication feels challenging.

💪 Sincerity in Efforts: Taking mental health sincerely rather than seriously allows for gradual improvement, making it sustainable and manageable.

🤝 Importance of Connection: Building connections with others is crucial for mental health; physical interactions can significantly enhance emotional well-being.

📝 Practical Exercises: Ira suggests simple techniques, like box breathing, to help calm anxiety and emphasizes the importance of finding what works individually.

👇Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction

00:39 - Family Support

01:20 - Parental Reactions

03:42 - Communicating Needs

05:00 - Understanding Mental Illness

09:36 - Personal Experiences

14:34 - Coping Mechanisms

18:47 - Learning from Struggles

24:14 - Advice on Asking for Help

28:09 - Creative Approaches to Communication

31:32 - Understanding Family Dynamics