‘I was a teetotaller until…’ — Aamir Khan reveals how divorce with first wife Reena Dutta made him turn to alcohol

Aamir Khan, Bollywood's Mr Perfectionist, doesn't shy away from acknowledging his shortcomings, be it in his films or his personal life. Recently, he revealed how his divorce from his first wife, Reena Dutta, made a teetotaller like him turn to alcohol — “I drank almost a bottle a night”.

Speaking on Duologue, Aamir Khan shared that the divorce was a turning point in his life — it was during that period that he began drinking.

“I was a teetotaller until I went through my first divorce with Reena. And then, on the first day when she left with the kids, and I was alone at home,” Aamir said. “…I couldn’t handle my emotions at that time.”

The actor said he had never had alcohol before the divorce, and said, “I had never, I used to never drink alcohol. I had drunk once or twice for a couple of scenes, but that was only because I had to drink for the scene. I mean, I was not into alcohol at all.”

However, after Reena left, Aamir said he drank almost a bottle a night for the next one-and-a-half years. “That night, I had alcohol at home to serve guests and all that, so I started drinking,” he said. “And for the next one-and-a-half years, I drank almost a bottle a night.”

Aamir Khan said it was extreme, especially for someone who didn't drink. “Now that’s really extreme, from a person who was a teetotaller to someone who consumes a bottle a night is very extreme.”

The ‘traumatic’ split

Earlier, on an episode of Koffee with Karan, Aamir Khan had discussed how his separation from Reena Dutta took an emotional toll on the family, even though they maintained a relationship of mutual respect.

“Reena and I were married for 16 long years. When we split up, it was traumatic for us and our families,” Aamir said. “We tried to deal with the situation as best as we could. Reena and I did not lose love or respect for each other post our split.”

Following his divorce from Reena, Aamir married Kiran Rao in 2005. The couple has a son, Azad. Aamir and Kiran also separated in 2021 after 16 years of marriage. According to Aamir, he is on amicable terms with both his former spouses and continues to co-parent his children.

Currently, Aamir Khan is dating Gauri Spratt.

Aamir celebrated his 61st birthday with his children

Aamir Khan celebrated his 61st birthday on 14 March, surrounded by his children, Ira, Junaid and Azad, family members, close friends and his current girlfriend, Gauri.

Videos from his intimate celebration captured playful moments from the evening. In one clip, Ira is seen lighting a lighter in place of a candle for the cake before Aamir blows it out. She is later seen smearing a bit of cake cream on his face, adding a light-hearted touch to the family celebration.

Aamir was last seen in Sitaare Zameen Par, which was released in cinemas across the country in June 2025and earned over ₹250 crores. After almost a year and a “no OTT” policy, the movie made its online debut on SonyLIV on 3 April this year.

"I was never in two minds. I always wanted an OTT release, but not so quickly after the theatre release. So it is now coming on SonyLIV on 3 April, and I want audiences all across the country to enjoy the film," Aamir told PTI.