Mumbai: After facing criticism over his third marriage, Aamir Khan has finally responded to the controversy surrounding his personal life.
The actor addressed the fatwa issued against him and dismissed allegations of promoting ‘love jihad’, saying the claims are baseless and should not be linked to his personal choices.
In an interview with Rediff, Aamir explained, “The truth is that ours is a very inclusive family. Both my sisters are married to Hindus; my daughter is also married to a Hindu. My cousin Mansoor is married to a Christian.”
The actor further clarified that all three of his marriages were civil ceremonies and that none of his wives converted to Islam. “Neither Gauri, Kiran nor Reena converted, as we had civil marriages. Gauri is not even Hindu, she is Christian, and not even a practising Christian at that. Life is getting more comical as time passes,” Aamir revealed.
Just ten days after one of Bollywood’s most private weddings in recent years, Aamir found himself at the centre of a major controversy.
The actor married his long-time partner, Gauri Spratt on July 5 in an intimate ceremony at his Pali Hill residence in Mumbai’s Bandra. The wedding was solemnised under the Special Marriage Act and attended by around 150 guests, including Aamir’s children, Junaid, Ira and Azad, as well as Gauri’s son.
Soon after the wedding, Maharashtra BJP minister Nitesh Rane described the marriage as an example of ‘love jihad,’ urging Hindu society to reflect on such personal choices made by public figures.
The actor also faced criticism from within the Muslim community. Maulana Ibrahim Hussain, the Shahi Chief Mufti of the Muslim Personal Darul Ifta, issued a fatwa against Aamir, saying that under Sharia law, a Muslim man cannot marry a non-Muslim woman unless she converts to Islam, and termed the marriage impermissible.