When Aamir Khan's brother Faisal Khan accused him of sabotaging his career, harassment: 'I was kidnapped, drugged...'

Bollywood is often tough on outsiders. While stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Kartik Aaryan have made their mark without a film background, many actors come from families with deep roots in the industry. However, even strong support and promotions can't always turn someone into a star.

Aamir Khan made every effort to launch his brother Faisal Khan’s career. In 2000, he relaunched him with the film Mela, which had everything going for it—Aamir himself in the lead, Twinkle Khanna, a popular director like Dharmesh Darshan, and even a special appearance by Aishwarya Rai. The music was already a hit, and the film was released in the first week of the new year. But despite the hype, Mela failed badly at the box office, and it ended Faisal’s chances of becoming a mainstream star.

After the film flopped, Faisal’s life took a difficult turn. He accused Aamir of mental and physical abuse, and there were also reports suggesting he was dealing with mental health issues. Aamir never publicly responded to the allegations

When he accused Aamir Khan

In 2007, Faisal Khan made headlines after he went missing for two days. Before that, he had filed a police complaint against his brother Aamir Khan, claiming he was being confined at home because Aamir believed he was mentally unwell. This led to a legal custody battle between Aamir and their father, Tahir Hussain, which attracted significant media attention. In the end, custody of Faisal was granted to his father. Years later, Faisal reportedly turned down an offer to appear on Bigg Boss, saying he didn’t want to "feel caged again."

In an interview with Hindustan Times, he said, "Frankly, I was never ill.. what has been said so far was speculative and spread by my elder brother Aamir Khan and other family members. In fact, I was kidnapped... I was under house arrest, unwanted drugs were given to me. On the judgment day, Judge Saab announced that I was not suffering from any illness.. and that I was normal and capable of handling life on my own. I should be treated as a normal person."

In the same interview, Faisal Khan shared that he shares a polite relationship with his brother Aamir Khan—they meet and greet each other occasionally. However, his absence from Aamir's daughter Ira Khan's recent wedding has caught the attention of fans and moviegoers. It has sparked questions about whether Faisal wasn’t invited or if he chose to stay away on his own.

Faisal wasn’t new to films—he had acted as a child in Pyar Ka Mausam, and had small roles in other films, including Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, where he played a villain’s aide. In 1994, he played the lead in Madhosh, produced by their father Tahir Hussain and directed by Vikram Bhatt, but that film also went unnoticed.

Between 2000 and 2005, Faisal appeared in several low-budget films before taking a long break. He returned to acting in 2015 and continues to work. His most recent film was Oppanda in 2022.

With the grand launch he got through Mela, things could have turned out very differently for Faisal if the film had connected with the audience.