Imran Khan’s girlfriend Lekha Washington recently opened up about her relationship with the Happy Patel actor, her reaction after being called names, and how two “broken” people believed in the power of love. An actor and an artist, Lekha said that people who have reduced her to “a proximity to a man” don’t know the intricacies of their relationship and have no right to pass judgment.
When Lekha Was Called “Homewrecker”
Defying the societal practice of calling out a woman, Lekha said she channels her focus into work instead of paying heed to constant chatter.
“Since I was 16, I’ve been called all kinds of names — growing up in Chennai and even later. Labels like ‘sl*t’ and ‘homewrecker’ are often used to diminish and control women. They don’t define me, and I refuse to shrink myself to fit someone else’s need to cut me down. That’s where I stand today. People who use these labels don’t know the reality. No one truly understands the intricacies of someone else’s relationship, so how can they pass judgment? I’d much rather focus on conversations around my work. After putting out original work, if the first thing people reduce me to is my proximity to a man, that says more about them than it does about me,” Lekha told ETimes.
When Imran Defended Lekha
Two years ago, during their initial relationship, Imran Khan defended Lekha against such labels.
“There’s this narrative of Lekha being a homewrecker, which infuriates me because not only is it misogynistic but it also takes away my agency as an individual.”
Talking about his intimacy with Lekha and how it started, Imran told Vogue, “Lekha and I grew close during the lockdown, a year and a half after I had been separated from Avantika and almost a year after she had separated from her partner, not husband as it has been widely reported.”
“Imran Is My Muse”
“Everyone needs a muse, and Imran is my muse,” Lekha admitted.
Reflecting on their relationship, Lekha said, “I am madly in love with this man. I have the greatest delight of getting to be with the man I’m in love with. It’s a rare gift, one that I want to protect and so it’s not for the world. It is for me. Like any relationship, we’re constantly learning and growing. There are moments when we clash, but there’s also a genuine willingness to evolve. That’s what makes it a mature, grounded relationship — we truly show up for each other.”
Lekha acknowledged that both their families are part of their journey.
“Our families are part of the journey too, and there’s a child in the picture (Imran’s daughter, Imaara, with ex-wife Avantika Malik), so it’s been a layered, meaningful ride,” she said.
COVID Impacted the Relationship
Lekha and Imran had known each other for nearly 15 years, moving within the same circle of friends.
It was during the COVID-19 lockdown that their relationship began to take shape.
She added, “I was in a formative long-term relationship for a decade beginning in 2009 and while we weren’t legally married, it shaped who I am. In the isolation of COVID, I had to face parts of myself that I had avoided. The subconscious parts of myself that had brought me there. When Imran and I began dating, it wasn’t a fairytale romance — it was two broken people in a broken world trying to pick up the pieces and do better.”
Back in 2024, their relationship first drew attention when Lekha was spotted with Imran at a get-together hosted by Monica Dogra.
Imran Khan is known for films like Jaane Tu… Ya Jaane Na, I Hate Luv Storys, Break Ke Baad, Delhi Belly, and Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, to name a few. He was last seen in Aamir Khan’s production Happy Patel. Lekha has worked in Telugu and Tamil films.
