Aamir Khan’s announcement of a one-and-a-half-year hiatus from acting must have sent his fans into a frenzy. Before him, Shah Rukh Khan, too, had taken a five-year break, albeit unannounced, after his ambitious VFX spectacle Zero (2018) didn’t meet expectations. The actor is set to return with a bang in 2023 with three biggies — Pathaan, Jawaan and Dunki.

What effect does it have on the industry when top stars like them decide to take a break? Does it ever reach a point where it could affect their stardom or career? Experts weigh in.

Filmmaker Kunal Kohli, who directed Aamir in Fanaa (2006), says, “As a friend of Aamir, I have always told him he should not do one film in two to three years, but one per year. Talents like his and SRK’s are so rare that one really misses them on screen. Of course, it’s a huge creative loss. I hope Aamir comes back soon.”

In the past, actors such as Amitabh Bachchan and (late) Vinod Khanna took breaks from their acting careers. The former announced it in 1992, to spend time with his family, and returned with Mrityudata (1997) after five years. Khanna left films at his peak to spend time at Osho’s ashram.

However, trade analyst Taran Adarsh supports decisions like these: “Life is not just about running from one studio to another; it’s important to slow down and analyze.”

What might have worked in the favour of stars earlier could have been the fact that there was no social media, and movies were the primary source of entertainment. Today, there’s OTT, and stars are much more accessible. Still, trade expert Joginder Tuteja reasons: “Aamir has only seen one major flop in recent times, Laal Singh Chaddha. Thugs Of Hindostan (2018) was a flop, but it still grossed Rs. 150 crores, which was a record for Hindi films at the time. You’re forgetting actor Rajinikanth; he comes out with a big film every two to three years. Even actor Salman Khan is not doing as many films as he used to do.”