Filmmaker Kiran Rao has publicly expressed support for actor Imran Khan after the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) served him a notice requiring his departure from India by 28 October, with Rao questioning the reasoning behind the order and describing it as something she found hard to reconcile.
In a social media post reacting to the news, Rao questioned the Mumbai Police's handling of the matter and noted that Khan maintains longstanding connections — both personal and professional — to India. The case she put forward centred on how thoroughly that country had shaped the actor's life — schooling completed on its soil, a professional trajectory built across its stages and film sets, relationships forged with those he encountered along the way, and the full range of setbacks and achievements that marked his time there.
Rao's online post — "Wah, now it's Mumbai police?" — placed her among those publicly questioning the notice served on Khan after he took part in a demonstration in the city. Actor Saba Azad also took to public channels to register her objection to the reported order compelling Khan to depart the country.
Actor Aamir Khan's nephew Imran Khan was present at the 10 October gathering held at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai, an event organised under the banner of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms, commonly referred to as CJP. Protesters gathered to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post, citing grievances tied to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for updating electoral rolls.
Actor Lekha Washington, identified in reports as Khan's partner, was said to have been among those attending the demonstration. Police in Mumbai took both individuals into custody at the protest.
A formal complaint about Khan's involvement was subsequently filed by BJP figure Kirit Somaiya, bringing the matter into official scrutiny. A notice ordering him to depart India by 28 October reached the actor after the FRRO reportedly took up the complaint that had been passed along to it.
Two travel documents are linked to Khan's name: a United States passport and an Overseas Citizen of India card, commonly referred to as an OCI. Under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, the document cited in those reports sets out a deadline for departure and puts him on notice that non-compliance may result in prosecution.
Holders of OCI standing gain a defined set of entitlements when travelling or residing in India, yet full citizenship of that country remains outside what the status provides.
Two questions are expected to arise during proceedings: whether Khan's involvement in the protest carried legal consequences, and on what grounds the direction against him was issued. Zulfikar Memon, who serves as Khan's legal counsel, has conveyed that a petition before the Bombay High Court is being prepared to contest the notice. At the heart of the anticipated legal action lies a dispute over whether the governing statute actually authorises the direction under the circumstances put forward.
Whether an OCI cardholder's attendance at a protest can serve as lawful grounds for action taken against them is a matter that courts may be called upon to weigh, contingent on what the notice alleges and how the parties frame their submissions. Questions about the legal rules that apply to OCI cardholders — including what conditions attach to that status and how far authorities can act against overseas nationals who take part in public protests — are likely to be drawn into sharper relief by this case. As of the time of reporting, no court has weighed in on whether the notice stands on lawful ground.
