Imran Khan Says His Marriage With Avantika Malik Was ‘Unhealthy’: ‘Divorce Allowed Me To Heal’

Bollywood actor Imran Khan, once hailed as one of Hindi cinema’s most promising stars after Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008), is finally speaking candidly about his personal life — particularly his divorce from Avantika Malik. After stepping away from films for over a decade and making his comeback with Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos in 2026, Imran is also revisiting a deeply personal chapter, reflecting on how maturity helped him recognise the importance of a healthy relationship.

Imran and Avantika, who began dating as teenagers, got married in 2011 and separated after eight years of marriage. The former couple share a daughter, Imara. In a recent interview, the actor revealed how introspection and therapy helped him understand why the relationship

eventually fell apart.

‘We Didn’t Understand Healthy Dynamics’

Speaking to Etimes, Imran shared that he began questioning his emotional well-being as early as 2016, which later led him to undergo analysis and focus on self-reflection. During this period, he was not actively working and was deeply involved in parenting his daughter, which gave him the space to reassess his life and relationships.

Looking back, Imran explained that starting a relationship at a very young age played a major role in the challenges they faced. He said, “It was a relationship that started at a very young age and when you are 18-19 years old you don’t have nearly enough life experience to have an understanding of what are healthy interpersonal dynamics and what are unhealthy dynamics.”

With time, he realised that their marriage was stuck in a damaging loop. According to Imran, the relationship was not evolving but repeating patterns that neither of them could fix. He admitted that stepping away became essential for his own mental health and growth.

‘Separation Is Unpleasant and Hurtful’

Imran also addressed the misconception that his mental health struggles were caused by the divorce. Clarifying his stance, he said the decision to end the marriage actually marked a turning point in his healing journey.

“It is my making the choice to end my marriage that was the turning point in my personal mental health journey, that allowed me to actually heal and get better. It is because we were not in sync. We were not able to support each other being the best version of self,” he said.

Doubling down on his belief that separation can sometimes be healthier than staying together, Imran added, “While a partner’s separation is unpleasant and hurtful to all, from the two individuals involved, the family, the child, it is still preferable over remaining in an unhealthy dynamic because to perpetuate an unhealthy pattern is madness.”

The actor has since moved on and is currently in a relationship with Lekha Washington, with the couple publicly confirming their relationship in 2024.