After an 11-year hiatus, Imran Khan is making a comeback to the big screen with a cameo in "Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos". The film, directed by Vir Das, was released on January 16, 2026. Khan says his return is driven by a desire to reconnect and make movies for the sheer joy of it and stated he's "not trying to be a big star".

Khan, who was last seen in the 2015 film "Katti Batti", stepped away from acting after a series of less successful projects. He revealed that his decision to leave the industry stemmed from a growing disconnect from creative satisfaction and the industry's increasing obsession with money. "Laut aao Imran" (Come back Imran) has finally turned into reality as fans have consistently expressed their wish to see him back in movies.

According to Khan, his participation in "Happy Patel" was driven by a "fear of missing out". He explained that he started hearing about the project through friends and family, including his uncle Aamir Khan, who produced the film, and actress Mithila Palkar, who was also part of the cast. He said, "Vir was developing the film, and I started hearing that people I know were involved...So I thought, why not?".

Vir Das shared that Khan reached out to him with an unexpected text message expressing interest in doing something fun in the film. Das then reworked the script to incorporate Khan's character, ensuring it was entertaining and something the actor had never attempted before. The messages reveal a candid conversation that started with Imran reaching out to Vir. “Hey, been hearing good stuff about the film you're making! Any place I could cameo, you think?".

Khan acknowledged that he is financially secure and prefers working alongside friends and like-minded individuals. "The reason that I ever made films was to play with my friends," he said. "We get a bunch of friendly people together, we paint our faces, we put on costumes and we play (the part). That's how I see moviemaking. Not to take away from how seriously one takes the thing, but creating art must come from a place of love and joy".

"Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos" is a comedy-thriller that marks Vir Das' directorial debut. The film stars Vir Das, Mona Singh, Sharib Hashmi, Mithila Palkar, and Srushti Tawade, with Aamir Khan also making a cameo appearance.

Notably, the film also features a special connection to Khan's earlier work. In a scene, Khan performs high-octane action while the song "Pappu Can't Dance Saala" from his 2008 film "Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na" plays in the background.

Imran Khan was spotted at a special screening of "Happy Patel" in Mumbai with his girlfriend, Lekha Washington. The screening was attended by several other Bollywood celebrities, including Aamir Khan, Ira Khan, Nupur Shikhare, Junaid Khan, Sonali Bendre, and Rajkumar Santoshi.