Avantika Malik on Co-Parenting With Imran Khan

Avantika Malik on Co-Parenting: ‘Cannot Repeat Mistakes’, Says Ex-Wife of Imran Khan

Avantika Malik on Co-Parenting: Avantika Malik has opened up about raising her daughter Imara with ex-husband Imran Khan after their separation, explaining how both parents have worked to protect their child’s emotional well-being. In a recent episode of Soha Ali Khan’s podcast All About Her, Avantika discussed the importance of communication, consistency and ensuring that children do not feel responsible for their parents’ separation. Avantika and Imran met when they were 19, dated for around a decade and married in 2011. The couple separated in 2019 after spending several years together. While their personal lives attracted public attention, they focused on navigating the changes in their family and putting their daughter’s needs first.

Avantika Malik Says Children Should Not Carry Parents’ Emotional Baggage

During the conversation, Avantika recalled discussing co-parenting with Imran after their separation. She said they understood that their own experiences as children of divorce could help them make more informed decisions while raising Imara. “We cannot repeat the same mistakes because we have tools our parents never had. We have understanding, knowledge that our parents never had,” Avantika recalled them agreeing. She explained that having experienced divorce within their own families helped them understand the importance of approaching their daughter’s upbringing with sensitivity. According to Avantika, one of the biggest challenges for separated parents is ensuring that their emotional struggles do not become the child’s responsibility. She stressed that children should not feel guilty about their parents no longer living together. Avantika also shared her belief that children need reassurance that they remain loved and valued, regardless of changes in their parents’ relationship.

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Imara’s Emotional Security Remained the Priority

Avantika said she was determined to ensure that Imara never blamed herself for her parents’ separation. She wanted her daughter to grow up knowing that she was precious, loved and supported by both sides of the family. The former couple made efforts to preserve Imara’s relationships with her grandparents, aunts and other family members. Avantika emphasised that a child's support system extends beyond their mother and father. “It's not just the father, it's the entire ecosystem,” she said during the podcast. She also reassured Imara that neither parent would abandon her and that her position in their lives would remain unchanged. “No parent is going anywhere. I am always here, and he is always there. And you are the number one priority for the two of us. Nobody comes above you,” Avantika recalled telling her daughter. Her comments highlighted the importance of providing children with stability and reassurance when family circumstances change.

Avantika Recalls Imara’s Questions After Separation

Reflecting on the period following the separation, Avantika said Imara was around four or five years old when she began asking questions about whether another mother or father might enter her life. Avantika explained that she repeatedly reassured her daughter about the unique roles she and Imran would continue to play. “I am your mother. He is your father. Nobody else can come and play that part,” she recalled telling Imara. She also explained that new people might eventually become part of their lives, but they would be additional sources of love rather than replacements for her parents. For Avantika, maintaining this distinction was important in helping her daughter feel secure and understand that the separation would not take away the relationships she already had.

Co-Parenting With Structure and Flexibility

Avantika further revealed that she and Imran initially maintained a structured arrangement for Imara's time with each parent. They believed consistency was important during the early years after their separation. As their daughter grew older, however, the arrangement became more flexible. Avantika said Imara, now around 12 or 13 according to the podcast conversation, has greater freedom to decide how she wants to divide her time. She explained that both parents remain attentive to their daughter's mental health, sense of security and need to feel loved. Their approach reflects an understanding that co-parenting arrangements may evolve as children grow and their needs change.

A Shared Approach to Parenting After Separation

Avantika’s account offers insight into how she and Imran have approached parenting despite no longer being together as a couple. Rather than allowing their separation to define their daughter's family experience, they have focused on communication, emotional reassurance and maintaining meaningful family relationships. Her remarks also underline an important distinction: ending a marriage does not end parental responsibilities. By prioritising Imara's emotional well-being and adapting their arrangements as she grows older, Avantika and Imran have sought to ensure that their daughter continues to feel supported by both parents.