The recent news of Aamir Khan and his second wife Kiran Rao’s decision to separate amicably went viral on social media. I really can’t understand that notwithstanding public’s to interest in the lives of their favourite stars, why a personal decision and that too on amicable terms should be trolled so viciously? Someone called it 15 years itch ( incidentally his first marriage to Reena Datta also lasted 15 years), while others called him fully RTO compliant, junking the old vehicle ( read wife) after 15 years. A few others went to give it a completely unnecessary colour of religion.
Why he divorced his first and second wives and whether he will now marry Fatima Sana Shaikh are the matters that are very very personal and intimate to Aamir and his partners and why people like us sitting at a distance without having any clarity on reason for his separation should not only become judgmental but troll him so very unkindly?
Some people also pulled out a few earlier episodes of his famous TV show Satyadev Jayate in which the talked about married life and harmony! It’s the same set who are trolling Saurav Ganguly who is advertising Fortune oil for its heart friendly properties but who had to undergo heart procedure recently for insertion of stents ! We all know that stars and models have their personal lives that could be absolutely split from professional lives!
However, the original Khan, the original King of Bollywood, the thespian, Dilip Kumar, whom all Bollywood stars, including Khans, Kumars and others have deliberately or unknowingly emulated, came to the rescue of the junior Khan even in his death. His death plunged not only the Bollywood but the whole nation into such a deep sorrow that no other news mattered and in the process Aamir escaped further trolling.
While it’s easy to criticise and troll a person for his or her intemperance, religion bigotry or other such needlessly imposed attributes, I think the grace and respect with which Aamir has treated his first family and all the amicability around his divorce from Kiran are clear proof of his maturity, conduct and persona.
The nation requires our collective endeavours for progress and unity. Let’s channelise our energies constructively rather than wasting time and energy in poking out noses in personal lives of others.
Arvind Arya blog 