The year 2024 marked Fardeen Khan’s comeback to the movies. In a conversation with us, the actor talks about how he struggled to make a re-entry into showbiz after a hiatus of 14 years, his moments of self-doubt, and how his father, Feroz Khan’s death deeply affected him. Read on...

Fardeen, who spent most of his time away from the limelight living in London with his family, says that making his way back to the industry was a struggle.

Fardeen says, “A lot went into these last three years… just sitting at home, believing in yourself and keeping that hope. It’s been a struggle, especially because I wasn’t coming back after a couple of years, but 14 years and that too, after turning 50. I had a lot of questions like, will filmmakers be able to slot me in a role? Do people even want to see me? Today, the content is very different from what it was in the 2000s. The protagonists have changed. Different parts of our country are being represented so beautifully now. The times are very different. So, I came back with the mentality of literally starting off a new career.” The actor was recently seen in the web show Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar and films Khel Khel Mein and Visfot.

While he’s happy to face the camera again, when asked what led him to step away from the industry at an important juncture of his career, he says, “It was a conscious decision. We had challenges having children at that time, so we moved to London. There, we had an incredible doctor, and soon after, my daughter was born (through IVF) in 2013, followed by my son in 2017. After my daughter was born, I intended to take a two-year break to enjoy parenthood. I enjoyed being a father so much that it ended up being a break that lasted more than a decade. I wish I hadn’t taken such a long break from work. The only brownie point is that I have two beautiful children with whom I could spend so much time.”

The other reason he stayed away from the limelight was his father’s (Feroz Khan) demise in 2009 due to lung cancer, after which he faced a health scare himself. It’s a phase of his life that he doesn’t want to recall. “Let me just say that I had a surgery that also affected me. Also, my father’s illness was very serious, as his prognosis was not good from the beginning. Those two years were very tough. I needed time for closure. Dad’s death affected me deeply,” he shares.

Fardeen, who would shuttle between Mumbai and London, was heavily trolled for his weight gain in 2016. Those comments shook him. “I was like… why are they after me? However, that version was the heaviest version of me. I realised that there was an audience that wanted to see me. I saw some love in all that criticism. Then, when I decided that I needed to make a comeback, I started losing weight.”

Fardeen’s kids, Diani and Azarius, he says, are loving this fitter version of him. “They called my belly, Tungu (laughs). So now they are like, ‘Daddy, your Tungu’s gone!’ I don’t think there is any greater form of self-love than to look after your health. Now, I enjoy playing sports with my kids. My son is just about starting out and he’s showing interest in football. I’m introducing him to Jiu-Jitsu.”

While the actor lives here now and is totally focusing on his career, his kids continue to live in London. There were reports of his separation from his wife, Natasha. While he doesn’t want to talk about his personal life, he does open up about missing spending time with his children.

He says, “It’s not easy. I don’t want to get into why they’re away, but yes, it’s not easy. I miss them terribly. I see them every four to six weeks and we talk over video calls daily. But I definitely miss being a part of their daily life, watching them grow up, be a part of their decision-making process and help them find their own identity. My kids paint and I have put up their artwork on the walls of my house in Mumbai. I miss their hugs, cuddles and kisses. I keep working to keep my mind distracted. And whenever they come down to Mumbai, I clear my entire schedule and be with them 24/7.”