Bollywood actor Imran Khan — nephew of superstar Aamir Khan — has been ordered to leave India by October 28 after authorities determined that his participation in an electoral reform protest violated immigration laws governing foreign nationals. The 43-year-old actor, a US citizen holding an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, faces an uncertain immediate future in the country just as his long-awaited return to the screen was gaining momentum.
The Protest That Triggered an Immigration Notice
Imran Khan’s troubles began on October 10, when he joined demonstrators at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, a gathering organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — a Gen Z-led movement demanding the resignation of India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, over allegations of vote fraud. India’s Election Commission has denied those allegations.
Mumbai police confirmed Khan’s attendance in a formal statement: “Imran Khan participated in the agitation at Mumbai’s August Kranti Maidan, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Imran Khan had participated in the agitation despite not being an Indian citizen.”
Khan was briefly detained alongside other protesters during the demonstration. Far from appearing rattled, he posted a photograph of himself inside a police detention van on Instagram with the caption: “Apparently I’m going for a drive.” The post attracted more than two million likes.
Following the demonstration, BJP politician Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint, accusing Khan of being “involved in a conspiracy to spread anarchy in India.” The complaint prompted authorities to scrutinise Khan’s immigration status, ultimately resulting in the notice from India’s Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) requiring him to depart by October 28.
The precise legal basis for the order remains unclear, according to The Indian Express. Khan has not publicly commented on the notice.
What an OCI Card Does — and Does Not — Allow
The OCI card, which Khan holds as a US citizen of Indian origin, grants foreign nationals the right to live and work in India indefinitely. It does not, however, confer full citizenship or political rights, including the right to vote, contest elections, or — as authorities appear to have determined in this case — participate in politically oriented protests.
Speaking to reporters before the immigration notice was issued, Khan had defended his decision to attend the protest in personal terms rather than as a political act.
“I don’t have demands. I’m here as a citizen, as a person who lives in this city. I’m here to see why freedom of movement is being restricted, why people’s voices are being suppressed,” he said.
Whether that framing carries legal weight under India’s immigration framework remains to be seen. It is not yet known whether Khan intends to challenge the order before the October 28 deadline.
A Long-Awaited Comeback Now Clouded With Uncertainty
The immigration order arrives at a particularly inconvenient moment in Imran Khan’s career. After more than a decade largely absent from Bollywood, Khan is set to appear in the Netflix film Adhure Hum Adhure Tum — a production that had already generated considerable interest among audiences who remember him from his earlier work.
Khan made his leading-man debut with the 2008 romantic comedy Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, which became a commercial and critical success. He subsequently appeared in I Hate Luv Storys, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, and Delhi Belly, before gradually stepping back from the industry.
Long before his adult career, Khan had appeared as a child actor in two of his uncle Aamir Khan’s most celebrated films — Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) — making him a familiar presence in Indian cinema from a young age.
His return to acting had been anticipated by fans and industry observers alike. The immigration notice now raises immediate practical questions about whether he can remain in India to fulfil professional commitments, and whether the controversy will affect the reception of his comeback project.
Broader Protest Movement Continues Across India
Khan’s situation unfolds against a backdrop of widening unrest. Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in Delhi, Mumbai, and other major cities to demand the chief election commissioner’s resignation. The movement has drawn support from prominent political figures, with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi joining a large protest march in New Delhi.
The CJP movement has not been without consequences for its leadership. Two senior figures from the organisation were jailed for five days on Wednesday after being arrested on allegations of trespassing at a protest site. Further demonstrations were planned in the capital following those arrests.
For Imran Khan, the question of what comes next — whether he leaves India by the October 28 deadline, contests the order, or seeks another resolution — remains unanswered. His Instagram post may have gone viral, but the legal reality now demands a more considered response.
