What if I die?: Aamir Khan fears plane crash, always writes note to cousin Mansoor

Aamir Khan said he writes a note to cousin Mansoor Khan before flights once a film reaches final post-production. The ritual reflects his complete faith in his cousin's instinct and role as a longtime creative support.

In Short

• Aamir says Mansoor is the only person whose instincts he fully trusts
• Kirran Rao knows Mansoor should review any pending work if needed
• The ritual begins once shooting ends and final post-production work starts

Actor Aamir Khan has spoken about a ritual he follows before boarding a flight, fearing a plane crash. He revealed that he writes a note to his cousin, filmmaker Mansoor Khan, so work on his films does not suffer if something happens to him. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Aamir said he wants instructions in place once a shoot is over and a film enters final post-production.

He said Mansoor is the one person whose creative instinct he trusts fully, and added that his ex-wife, filmmaker Kirran Rao, also knows about the arrangement. Aamir said he has told her more than once that if anything happens to him, any pending work should be run by Mansoor.

Recalling the ritual, Aamir said with a laugh, "When the shoot gets over, and we’re in the final post-production, I’ve always written a note to Mansoor. I always get very stressed that what if my plane crashes, or I die? I don’t want the film to go wrong. So, I ask the director to take Mansoor’s advice. And I ask Mansoor to take care of it. I do it every time before I get on a flight."

He added, "He's (Mansoor Khan) one person whose instinct I trust fully. That’s what I’ve told Kiran (Rao, ex-wife) a number of times - if something happens to me, makes sure you run it by Mansoor."

Aamir-Mansoor's collaborations

Aamir and Mansoor have worked together on films such as Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1994) and Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995). Mansoor may have stepped away from direction after his 2000 film Josh, but Aamir said he remains an important support system and longtime collaborator.

Aamir said he has often brought Mansoor in as a creative producer when he felt a new team, including a new director and a new actor, needed support on one of his productions. He did so on Abbas Tyrewala's 2008 romantic comedy Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, starring their nephew Imran Khan, and more recently on Sunil Pandey's Ek Din, starring Aamir’s son Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi.

Ek Din released today. India Today gave the film a two-star rating, and a part of its review read, "It is a premise that sounds intriguing on paper, even smooth in parts. Two people, one fleeting day, a love story that exists in fragments. But Ek Din never rises above its own idea. The setup feels dated, reminiscent of early 2000s television dramas from the world of Ekta Kapoor where contrived circumstances forced romance to bloom in artificial settings. In 2026, it feels less nostalgic, more regressive."

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