Aamir Khan has stirred controversy with his recent remarks about Swades, the critically acclaimed film starring Shah Rukh Khan. In an interview with Zoom, Aamir revealed that he had turned down the opportunity to work on the project, calling it “very boring”—a statement that hasn’t gone down well with fans of the film or Shah Rukh.

The actor said, “I found it very boring! I told Ashu [Ashutosh Gowariker] this when he narrated the story to me during Lagaan. Back then, it was titled Kaveri Amma.”

The internet swiftly responded, with fans defending Swades as a landmark in Indian cinema. Many lauded its storytelling, values, and emotional depth. One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “This one scene in Swades has more meaning than Aamir Khan’s entire filmography. Every dialogue teaches you something about life.”

Another fan reacted more sharply: “I’ll be very happy if Sitaare Zameen Par flops. Aamir has gone too far in belittling SRK—despite Shah Rukh supporting his son’s debut and attending the premiere.”

Supporters of Swades emphasized the role of Shah Rukh Khan’s performance in the film’s enduring legacy. “If Aamir had done Swades, it would have been forgotten. SRK made it a cult classic. The film aged better than Lagaan and remains relevant even after 20 years,” one fan commented.

Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, Swades was released in 2004 and is widely regarded as one of Shah Rukh Khan’s finest performances. It earned two National Awards and continues to resonate with audiences as a cinematic gem.

Meanwhile, Aamir Khan is gearing up for the release of Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by R.S. Prasanna, which is slated to hit theatres on June 20.

In his new documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which premiered on Wednesday, legendary musician Billy Joel opened up about his struggles with depression and multiple suicide attempts. Now 76, Joel revealed that his mental health took a serious toll following an affair with Elizabeth Weber—the wife of his close friend and musical partner Jon Small.

Joel recounted falling in love with Weber in his twenties while staying at the couple’s home. “Bill and I spent a lot of time together,” Weber said in the film, describing the affair as something that developed gradually. Once suspicions arose, Joel confessed to Small: “I’m in love with your wife.”

“I felt tremendous guilt,” Joel admitted. “They had a child. I felt like I had destroyed a family.” He acknowledged the emotional devastation the affair caused, both for Small and himself, ultimately ending their band, Attila, and their friendship.

The aftermath left Joel in emotional disarray. Homeless and battling despair, he said he began “sleeping in laundromats” and drinking heavily. “I was in a lot of pain… I didn’t see the point in going on. Every day felt the same, and it was unbearable.”

At one point, Joel took a full bottle of sleeping pills given to him by his sister, Judy Molinari, who became visibly emotional recounting the incident in the documentary. “He was in a coma for days. When I saw him in the hospital, he looked lifeless. I thought I had killed him.”

In another suicide attempt, Joel ingested a bottle of lemon Pledge. Despite the breakdown in their relationship, Jon Small rushed him to the hospital. Joel said, “Even though our friendship had collapsed, Jon saved my life.”

Small later reflected, “He never really gave a reason, but maybe he felt such deep remorse because he loved me and couldn’t bear what he’d done. I eventually forgave him.”

Years after the ordeal, Joel and Weber reconnected and married in 1973. Their marriage lasted nearly a decade before ending in 1982.