t’s stating the obvious to say that 49-year-old Aamir Khan doesn’t look his age (the man was still playing a college kid just five years back). Now, even with the Khan household fawning over Imara Malik Khan, the first granddaughter of the generation, daddy Imran Khan reveals that Aamir Khan has banned the word ‘dadaji’ (grand-uncle).

You said it, I didn’t. Aamir’s forbidden us from using that phrase in the house. Apparently it ages you (laughs).

She’s the first grandchild [of her generation], so it’s a big deal. I was the first child in the family of my generation. And I was the only one for 10 years. A decade later, Mansoor (Khan, uncle) had a daughter, Zayn, and Aamir had Junaid. They were born two-three months apart. Then came Ira, who is now 16. I had no cousins growing up. But Imara has Azad (Rao Khan, Aamir and wife Kiran Rao’s two-and-a-half-year-old son) to grow up with, even though Azad is her uncle. Now, the next grandkids born will be either Junaid’s, Zayn’s or Ira’s kids, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon. 

We’ve not settled in yet. Every couple of hours, one new thing will pop up for which we don’t have a system in place. Both our mothers are there to help us. My mother is here, while her mom spends a major part of the day here.

I’m keen to get back to work. I think I’ve had enough of a break, and taken Avantika on a couple of good, long holidays. However, being a father is different from being a husband. There is a different level of responsibility. As a husband, you think, ‘She’s an adult and can take care of herself.’ Here, I’ve got someone who’s entirely relying on me. In every way, I am responsible for her life, safety and happiness. It’s all on my shoulders.