Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has issued a detailed clarification regarding his past meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan, following a fresh wave of criticism from right-wing groups in India.
The controversy resurfaced amid growing tensions between India and Turkey over the latter’s vocal support for Pakistan in the wake of India’s recent military operation, dubbed Operation Sindoor. As Turkish and Azerbaijani officials condemned the operation, social media in India witnessed a resurgence of calls to boycott Turkish products, tourism, and trade.
Old photographs of Aamir Khan with Erdoğan and his wife, dating back to his visits in 2017 and 2020, have been widely circulated online, prompting backlash against the actor. Critics, primarily from Hindu nationalist circles, accused him of fraternising with the leadership of a country perceived to be hostile towards India.
In an appearance on the Indian television programme Aap Ki Adalat, Khan responded to the criticism, saying his interactions with Turkish officials occurred in a different political climate and were strictly non-political in nature.
“Turkey ne bahut galat kiya (Turkey did a very wrong thing), and every Indian is hurt,” Khan said, expressing disappointment over Turkey’s recent pro-Pakistan stance. “During the 2023 earthquake in Turkey, our government was among the first to send aid. At that time, neither I nor the government could have foreseen what their future position would be.”
He clarified that the photos in question were from his 2017 visit, and that the meeting with the First Lady being circulated online as a recent one also predates 2020. “I met them as an artist, not as a politician,” he said. “When a host invites you for tea, it doesn’t seem appropriate to refuse.”
Khan emphasised his role as a cultural ambassador, saying that such diplomatic engagements are often gestures of goodwill rather than endorsements of foreign policy. “As an artist, I represent India abroad. That’s the spirit in which those meetings took place,” he said.
Addressing public anger over Turkey’s alleged support to Pakistan with combat drones during recent hostilities, Khan supported the ongoing boycott campaign, saying, “People made the absolutely right decision. We should not support Turkey in any way. They sided with Pakistan when we were attacked, even though we had helped them first. Is that justice?”
India’s military operation earlier in May, which drew criticism from both Turkey and Azerbaijan, has strained regional diplomacy. Pakistan responded to the operation with what it described as a strong retaliatory move. Reports in Indian media suggest Turkish-made drones may have played a role in Pakistan’s response, further fuelling public anger.
Indian traders have since begun a boycott of Turkish goods including apples, marble, and textiles. Travel agencies have also reported cancellations of bookings to Turkish destinations.
In his televised remarks, Aamir Khan also touched upon the broader issue of communal polarisation in India. Condemning religious profiling and mob violence, the actor said: “You are shooting at people by questioning their religion. What does this mean? I could have been there, you could have been there.”
He urged audiences to move beyond religious divisions and think of the collective national interest.
Khan concluded his remarks with a message of unity: “We extended friendship during their time of need, and in return, they supported those who attack us. Bahut hi galat baat hai (It is very wrong). We should not support Turkey at all.”
