What is it about Imran Khan? We’ve never truly been able to get over him. The Indian audience has a sort of a soft corner for Khan and the legacy of his soft-boi, healthy love romantic roles. From his work in I Hate Luv Storys (2010), Break Ke Baad (2010), Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011), Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) to the Indian favourite Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na (2008) Imran Khan was pure gold among a sea of underwhelming, hyper-masculine romantic male leads.
Of course his work didn’t only shine through in roles related to romance. The actor did a noteworthy job in the 2011 film Delhi Belly. But apart from his professional life, Khan is almost exemplary when it comes to how vulnerable he has been about his inner work and mental health. If you take a look at his Instagram profile, there are multiple posts where the Katti Batti actor has opened up about the various films he worked on and what went on in his head (and heart) while working on them. From talking about body image to how helpful fitness has been for his mental health, Imran Khan frequently shares his deeper thoughts on Instagram. And if this doesn’t give healed, healthy and peaceful vibes, then I don’t know what does?
But apart from this,
Discussing body image issues is difficult for many men, and seeing Imran Khan courageously open up about his own thoughts on the topic is not only needed but refreshing.
In totality, Khan has visibly worked on himself in depth, from his mental health to physical and emotional health, the actor seems to have shared many little details about his self-discovery, and wellness journey online and shown us some serious vulnerability. In fact, it is through the vulnerability of his struggles that the Delhi Belly star has somehow displayed emotional strength and intelligence of sorting through it all and healing himself.
In a world that likes to tell us to grieve, and process our emotions privately and to come out into the world only when we feel whole, Imran Khan has shown us that we can resolve our struggles and emotions with kindness (to ourselves), while giving ourselves enough grace to talk about it with others.
He has shown us that there is no shame in going through obstacles in life and making sure we’re kind to ourselves while facing tough times. No wonder Khan is a favourite still among the Indian audience. There is a reason we’d like him to make a comeback to films. He’s a great actor AND role model.
