Kiran Rao Stands in Support of Aamir Khan Against Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Allegations of Misogyny: Calls for Direct Conversation
Filmmaker Kiran Rao has offered a response to Animal director Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s assertion that she failed to address the misogyny in her former husband Aamir Khan’s ’90s films. In an interview with The Quint, Kiran addressed Sandeep’s statement, highlighting Aamir Khan’s public apology for the misogyny depicted in his past work. She emphasized that Aamir is among the rare individuals who have acknowledged and apologized for problematic content in their previous projects. Kiran cited Aamir’s on-record apology for the suggestive song “Khambe Jaisi Khadi Hai” from the 1990 romantic film Dil, featuring him and Madhuri Dixit, during an episode of his TV show Satyamev Jayate.
Kiran expressed her wish for Sandeep to directly convey any concerns he may have about Aamir’s work to him, rather than involving her. Notably, Kiran and Aamir divorced in 2021 after 16 years of marriage but continue to co-parent their son, Azad, and collaborate professionally. Aamir is co-producing Kiran’s upcoming directorial, Laapataa Ladies, and she also participated in his daughter Ira Khan’s recent wedding celebrations.
Furthermore, Kiran clarified that her previous comments on misogyny in Bollywood films were not directly aimed at Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s work, as she hasn’t viewed his films and thus couldn’t have directed her criticism towards them. She reaffirmed her stance against misogyny in cinema and her commitment to addressing it.
In response to Kiran’s remarks, the official Animal account posted a statement asserting that neither the director, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, nor the film’s team were making assumptions. They emphasized that the reported facts were from a reputable media source.
Previously, Kiran had referenced films such as Sandeep’s Kabir Singh and SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali: The Beginning as examples of successful films with misogynistic elements. Sandeep had responded by urging her to comment on Aamir’s past works, such as Dil. Stay tuned to know more about it and others only with us.