India, July 15 -- Ten days after one of the quietest, most intimate weddings Bollywood has seen in recent memory, Aamir Khan finds himself at the centre of a very loud controversy. He has now chosen to address it head on. The actor married long-time partner Gauri Spratt on July 5 in a private ceremony at his Pali Hill residence in Mumbai's Bandra, solemnised under the Special Marriage Act. Around 150 guests attended, including his children Junaid, Ira and Azad, as well as Gauri's son.

The backlash came swiftly from two directions. Maharashtra BJP minister Nitesh Rane labelled the marriage an instance of "love jihad," suggesting Hindu society ought to reflect on such personal choices made by public figures. Separately, Maulana Ibrahim Hus...