Kiran Rao declares it "low" to credit her success to ex-husband Aamir Khan

The second directorial film by Kiran Rao, 'Laapataa Ladies', has captivated Indian audiences and earned the distinction of being India’s official entry for the Oscars 2025. Co-produced by her ex-husband Aamir Khan, the film has sparked discussions about Kiran's journey as a filmmaker. In a recent interview, she remarked on the movement to credit Aamir for her success, which she finds unfair.
In a recent interaction with Kareena Kapoor on her talk show 'What Women Want', Kiran expressed her thoughts on how it feels 'low' for people to credit Aamir Khan for her success. She remarked, “It is natural. He has been known to do such quality work. Personally, I attribute a lot of success in life to having a very supportive and bright partner who intellectually matches me and supports everything I do. He has played a big role in my life, but for others to attribute my accomplishments solely to him is a… and I think a lot of women are accustomed to that happen to them.”
Prior to 'Laapataa Ladies', Kiran made her directorial debut with 'Dhobi Ghat', released in 2011. The film, while achieving only modest box office success, received significant critical acclaim. Additionally, Kiran has co-produced a number of celebrated projects with Aamir Khan, such as 'Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na', 'Peepli Live', 'Delhi Belly', 'Talaash', and 'Dangal'.
During her appearance on Kareena's talk show 'What Women Want', Kiran candidly shared her thoughts on Aamir Khan's lengthy lectures, humorously noting that they sometimes border on "mansplaining." She said, “I would like to say… he can go off and lecture. Like he will give certain lamba lectures about things sometimes and those, I don’t like. I mean, it’s not quite mansplaining, but coming close.”