After maintaining silence on his personal life ever since his marriage of nine years with actress Sanjeeda Shaikh ended in January, Aamir Ali has finally opened up on matters of the heart. The actor has been focusing on work, his family and taking it one day at a time. But that doesn’t mean he is closed to the idea of finding love again. In an exclusive chat with BT, he talks about hitting a rough patch in his personal life, picking up the broken pieces of life and swinging back into action with a renewed perspective.

Talking about his failed marriage to Sanjeeda is like touching a raw nerve, as it has taken Aamir a lot of time to overcome the difficult phase. He says, “It was extremely difficult at that point. After my marriage fell apart, main hil chuka tha. But I am a sportsman by nature, and I never give up. I have always been a happy soul, and I am glad that I am back to being that. I don’t harbour ill feelings for anyone and I wish the best for my ex. Sab khush raho life mein. Everything happens for a reason and everyone ought to be happy. If Coronavirus can strike us, anything can happen. Relationships ka tootna toh phir bahut chhoti baat hoti hai. During the pandemic, I got a lot of time to introspect. I started looking at the positives, be it from COVID-19 or my failed relationship. I learnt to move on. If I am happy, I will be able to keep everyone around me happy or else my world will collapse.”

Ask him if the two have been in touch after their divorce came through and he replies, “No, we are not in touch. ”

Reacting to the report of him not being allowed to meet his daughter Ayra, who will turn three on August 30, for the past 10 months, he says, “It’s a sensitive topic and I don’t wish to talk about it. I don’t want to play any cards, but unfortunately, a man is always blamed. I have always maintained a dignified silence on matters related to my personal life. Someone I have spent so many years with deserves respect. So, I won’t say anything. I just wish them all the best. I am sure Ayra is being taken care of in the best way possible and I only have immense love for her.”

Even after a failed relationship, Aamir isn’t disillusioned about love and marriage. However, he isn’t actively seeking it. He shares, “I am single. However, I believe in never saying never, be it TV, Bigg Boss, FIR 2, or marriage (laughs!). Aagey kuchh bhi ho sakta hai. I still believe in the institution of marriage, but I am enjoying singlehood at the moment. I feel someone somewhere is made for you. We shouldn’t be averse to love because of one bad experience. No matter how strong a relationship may seem, sometimes it’s not meant to last. I am glad that Sanjeeda and I handled our separation with dignity. I hope my ex finds someone who keeps her happy. Two people should come together just for love. If it’s for any other reason phir gadbad ho jaati hai.”

On the work front, Aamir was recently seen in a series on urban sanitation, which was released on an online platform. He shares, “At this stage, I don’t want to take up shows for the heck of it. Either a project should enable me to improve my craft, or show me in a different light.”

He credits his growth and popularity to the small screen. The actor, who is currently on a break from the medium, acknowledges, “I have been extremely fortunate on TV. Whatever I am today is because of the small screen. I am one of those few actors who have done eight to nine shows in the lead role. Par harr cheez ka ek waqt hota hai. Though I believe in never say never, I don’t know when I would take up a TV show.”

More often than not, TV actors are forced to take a break to shed their screen image before they can make headway on other mediums. Aamir admits, “TV karke web ya film karna difficult hai. The divide exists. That’s the reason I took a break from everything for a couple of years. It’s not easy for an outsider – even after working on TV for so many years – to venture into films easily. People liked me in I Hate Luv Storys (IHLS, 2010), but it didn’t translate into more offers. In fact, I was inundated with offers from television. I kept declining them for six to eight months, hoping that I would be offered films. I was offered FIR at that time and I picked it up. Today, I can afford to wait.”

He adds, “You have to wait for that one big maker to trust you. The director of a film I shot for recently told me that his crew remembered me primarily for my dance, looks and comic timing, and he offered me a role that was a breakaway from the popular image. After a successful inning on TV, I am on a new journey – to make a mark in Indian cinema.”