Lekha Washington has rarely spoken about her personal life, but in a candid latest interview, the artist and former actor set the record straight. Breaking years of silence, she opened up about her relationship with Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na actor Imran Khan, the harsh labels thrown her way, and the sense of liberation she has found after choosing to own her story.
Called a ‘homewrecker’ since her teens
Reflecting on the scrutiny that had followed her since she was 16, Lekha told Times of India that she had been on the receiving end of derogatory labels for much of her life. “Labels like ‘sl*t’ and ‘homewrecker’ are often used to diminish and control women,” she said. “They don’t define me, and I refuse to shrink myself to fit someone else’s need to cut me down.”
She added that those who resorted to such labels seldom understood the full picture. “No one truly understands the intricacies of someone else’s relationship, so how can they pass judgment?” she asked.
Two broken people finding their footing
Lekha and Imran had moved in the same social circles for nearly 15 years before their relationship took shape during the COVID-19 lockdown. She described that period as a reckoning, one that forced her to confront parts of herself she had long avoided. “When Imran and I began dating, it wasn’t a fairytale romance,” she said. “It was two broken people in a broken world trying to pick up the pieces and do better.”
On her feelings for him today, she was unequivocal. “I am madly in love with this man,” she said, describing their bond as mature and grounded, one shaped by genuine willingness to grow. She noted that Imran’s daughter Imaara, his child with ex-wife Avantika Malik, was very much a part of their journey.
Art, a book, and a slow return to acting
Having spent a decade away from screens and deep in the world of large-scale, immersive art installations, Lekha said Imran had become her muse. She is also preparing to release a new book titled ‘Rewild’.
As for acting, she last appeared in the Tamil film Kalyana Samayal Saadham in 2013. She said she was in no rush, but was open to returning on her own terms. “I know I’ll find my way back to acting,” she said, “but this time, I want to do it with people who I trust.”
Meanwhile, Imran is preparing to return to the screen himself, with projects Adhure Hum Adhure Tum. He was also seen playing a cameo in Happy Patel. Watching his journey, Lekha said, had left her genuinely moved.
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