Fardeen Khan on welcoming daughter via IVF, missing children amid divorce rumours

Actor Fardeen Khan returned to the movies this year after a hiatus of 14 years. In an interview recently, he opened up on the decision to take a break from work and focus on being a present father. The 50-year-old actor talked about welcoming his daughter through IVF (in vitro fertilisation) a few years back.
Fardeen, who was seen with Akshay Kumar in Khel Khel Mein, told Times of India, that he never planned to take such a long break, but after his daughter was born, he started enjoying fatherhood so much that he could not go back to work for over a decade.
When asked if taking a long break was a deliberate choice, Fardeen said, “It was a conscious decision. We had challenges having children at that time, so we moved to London. There, we had an incredible doctor, and soon after, my daughter was born (through IVF) in 2013, followed by my son in 2017.”
He continued, “After my daughter was born, I intended to take a two-year break to enjoy parenthood. I enjoyed being a father so much that it ended up being a break that lasted more than a decade. I wish I hadn’t taken such a long break from work. The only brownie point is that I have two beautiful children with whom I could spend so much time.”
Speculations have been rife about Fardeen’s separation/ divorce from his wife, Natasha. While he refused to speak about the rumours, he commented on living away from his children. The Heeramandi actor shared that he gets to meet with his children every four-six weeks and that is the best time of his life.
Fardeen added that his house is full of his children’s artwork, and he misses them terribly. The actor shared, “It’s not easy. I don’t want to get into why they’re away, but yes, it’s not easy. I miss them terribly. I see them every four to six weeks, and we talk over video calls daily. But I definitely miss being a part of their daily life, watching them grow up, being a part of their decision-making process and helping them find their own identity.”
He went on, “My kids paint, and I have put up their artwork on the walls of my house in Mumbai. I miss their hugs, cuddles and kisses. I keep working to keep my mind distracted. And whenever they come down to Mumbai, I clear my entire schedule and be with them 24/7.”
Fardeen will next be seen in Housefull 5 with Akshay, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Soundarya Sharma and Chitrangada Singh, among others. He is also working on a Kannada pan-India film with actor Darshan.