'Yes, I’m fat': Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira Khan makes raw, fearless confession on body image struggles

Ira Khan opens up about her struggles with body image and self-worth in a candid Instagram post, sharing her journey since 2020.

Ira Khan, daughter of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, has once again chosen honesty over silence, opening up about her deeply personal battle with body image and self-worth. In a candid Instagram post and video, Ira revealed that she has been struggling with how she sees her body since 2020, a subject she admits feels far more frightening to talk about than her earlier revelations about depression.

Ira Khan, daughter of actor Aamir Khan, talked about the importance of discussing these issues despite feeling less confident than when discussing her depression, aiming to normalise conversations around mental health.

Ira addresses ‘the elephant in the room’

Sharing her journey, Ira said she has spent the last few years oscillating between feeling unfit, overweight and obese, while still trying to understand her relationship with food and her body. She explained that although she does not have a diagnosed eating disorder and is not speaking as an expert, she felt it was important to start the conversation publicly after noticing a small but meaningful shift in her mindset.

In the post Ira wrote, “Yes, I’m fat. Been oscillating between thinking I’m fat/unfit, becoming overweight and being obese since 2020. There’s a lot to be said about it. Definitely things I still need to figure out. But I feel at least a small shift for the better, so I’ve decided to start talking about it/share. I may not be as articulate or confident as when I spoke about my depression. Unlike like that, this feels a little scary. But I really think it needs to be talked about. I don’t have a diagnosed eating disorder, and I’m also not an expert. Just sharing my experiences. Venture into the comment section at your own risk. I know I will be staying far away from it. Let’s see how this goes.”

In the accompanying video, Ira directly addressed what she called “the elephant in the room,” acknowledging that she is obese for her age and height and has been grappling with body image issues and her relationship with food for several years. She shared that these struggles have affected multiple areas of her life, from her confidence and self-worth to her ability to fully show up for her friends, her work, and her relationship with husband Nupur Shikhare (fondly referred to as Popeye).

Unlike her previous conversations around mental health, Ira admitted she feels less confident navigating this topic. She explained that body image issues have interfered with her life in ways she finds comparable in intensity to depression, which she has spoken about at length in the past. Through this series of posts, Ira said she hopes to unpack her thoughts, fears, and patterns, not just for others, but primarily to help herself heal.

She also issued a caution to viewers about online reactions, advising people to approach the comment section carefully, while making it clear that her intention is not to seek validation but to normalise difficult conversations around body image and mental health.

Ira's earlier struggle with depression

Ira Khan has previously spoken about her long battle with clinical depression, including the guilt she felt for struggling despite coming from a privileged background. Her latest disclosure continues that pattern of vulnerability, reinforcing her belief that conversations around mental health and self-acceptance, no matter how uncomfortable, are necessary.