Fardeen Khan Reveals Taking Break From Acting To Cope With Father Feroz Khan's Death

After a 14-year hiatus, Fardeen Khan has returned to the film industry with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi. In a recent interview, he discussed the reasons behind his prolonged absence, clarifying that it was not intentional. Fardeen also reflected on the trolling he faced in 2016 due to his weight gain, describing it as an unexpected introduction to the era of social media.

Fardeen shares how his father's death affected him

Fardeen revealed that the death of his father, the iconic actor Feroz Khan, in 2009 significantly impacted him, contributing to his decision to step away from acting. He explained to Bollywood Hungama, "I needed some time after I lost my father. It was a tough time for me on a personal level. There were other considerations also, which I have spoken about at other times."

He further shared that becoming a father was a pivotal factor in his hiatus. The challenges he and his wife faced with having children led them to pursue IVF, which required his full attention. “We were having challenges having children, and that’s when we decided to take the IVF route. That’s why I needed to take some time off. It wasn’t meant to be this long. I thought only for a few years…get everything settled, but things didn’t happen that way. Then, when my daughter was born, my heart melted, and I thought, let’s spend some time with her,” he said.

Although Fardeen appreciates having had the luxury to take this time off, he does regret not returning to work sooner. He admitted, "It wasn’t deliberate or conscious, but having said that, when I look back, I wish I hadn’t taken such a long break. Definitely a regret on many levels."

Fardeen on getting trolled for his weight gain in 2016

In 2016, paparazzi photos of Fardeen Khan surfaced, leading to widespread trolling over his weight gain. Reflecting on this period, Fardeen, who wasn't active on social media at the time, found the sudden attention surprising and challenging. He remarked, "I was never active on social media, so that was my first introduction. It was a revelation to see how extreme it could get. It was a tough time, but this industry teaches you to develop thick skin, and sometimes you just have to take it in stride. I was caught off guard because I had distanced myself from the industry for several years, so receiving that kind of attention was unexpected. Although the experience wasn't positive, it taught me a lot."