Aamir Khan Breaks Silence on Pahalgam Terror Attack, Slams Terrorism and Clarifies Delay in Statement
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has strongly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several civilians.
The actor, whose response came several days after the incident and after India’s military retaliation under Operation Sindoor, addressed criticism regarding the delay in his reaction, offering a detailed explanation in a recent interview.
Speaking to India TV, Aamir described the attack as “cruel” and an act of “cowardice.” He stated, “It only demonstrates the terrorists’ cowardice that they entered our country and opened fire on innocent civilians. You or I could have been there. They asked victims about their religion before shooting them. What does that even mean?”
Responding to speculation about the timing of his statement—issued days after other film industry figures had reacted—Aamir said his absence from social media often prevents him from responding instantly. “I’m not on social media. People react instantly to these events there,” he explained.
Aamir also pointed out that he had addressed the attack publicly during an event around the same period. “That was not just an attack on our country, but also on our unity. They have already received a strong response from our armed forces,” he said, referring to India’s military operation that followed the attack.
Amid claims that his response was timed to align with the release of his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir dismissed the suggestion. “If I speak about our forces delivering a befitting response, am I doing something wrong? Should I be thinking about my film or my country at that time? I feel it would be wrong to stay silent because of a film,” he asserted.
Aamir clarified that the trailer release of Sitaare Zameen Par—which came just 12 hours after his official statement—was purely coincidental. “The trailer was supposed to release much earlier. I postponed it because of the attack. I also cancelled the re-premiere of Andaz Apna Apna that day,” he said, referring to the re-release of the 1994 comedy classic on April 25.
Expressing his emotional turmoil following the attack, the actor said, “Like every Indian, there was a lot of anger and pain in my heart. I was so depressed I didn’t step out of my home for days.”
Aamir also addressed the years of trolling he has faced, particularly in the lead-up to his film releases, such as Laal Singh Chaddha, which some believe suffered at the box office due to coordinated online backlash. “My patriotism is reflected in my films—Rang De Basanti, Lagaan, Sarfarosh. I don’t think any other actor has done as many patriotic films as I have,” he said.
He recalled a moment with veteran actor Manoj Kumar—often called “Bharat Kumar” for his patriotic roles—who once praised Aamir for continuing that legacy. “Manoj ji once told me, ‘If there’s someone in the next generation doing something for the nation through films, it’s you,’” Aamir shared.
The actor also made a strong statement defending Islam, stating that terrorism has no place in the religion. “No religion, including Islam, endorses violence. These terrorists are not Muslims. Islam explicitly forbids killing innocents or harming women and children. They are going against the very tenets of the religion,” he said.
With Sitaare Zameen Par set to release soon, Aamir Khan finds himself once again at the intersection of cinema, public sentiment, and political scrutiny—but this time, he’s taking a firm stand on both national integrity and his convictions.
