Bollywood has seen plenty of star kids ride on their family legacy to find success, but Zayed Khan's career took a very different turn. Despite belonging to one of the industry's biggest film families, formal training in filmmaking and a strikingly good-looking screen presence, Zayed never managed to become the leading man his launch had promised. As the actor turns 46 today, on July 5, here's a look back at his rollercoaster journey in Hindi cinema.
Born Into Bollywood Royalty
Zayed Khan was born on July 5, 1980, into one of Mumbai's most recognised film families, and grew up around film sets and cameras. His father, Sanjay Khan, was a well known actor of his time and later built a name as a producer-director. Zayed's uncle, Feroz Khan, was considered one of Bollywood's most stylish leading men, while actor Fardeen Khan is his cousin. His sister, Suzanne Khan, was once married to Hrithik Roshan, Bollywood's own 'Krrish', making the superstar his former brother-in-law. Rather than relying solely on this legacy, Zayed formally studied filmmaking at the London Film Academy. But when it came to proving himself on the big screen, this pedigree did little to help him, and a string of flops nearly derailed his career.
A Debut That Didn't Take Off
Zayed Khan made his Bollywood debut in 2003 with 'Chura Liya Hai Tumne', opposite Isha Deol. The film's music was well liked, but it sank without a trace at the box office. With his very first film failing to click, questions were already being raised about his future in the industry.
Farah Khan's Film Turned Things Around
Nobody can predict when fortunes will change in the film industry, and 2004 brought Zayed a shot with Farah Khan's 'Main Hoon Naa'. The multi-starrer cast included heavyweights like Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Sunil Shetty and Amrita Rao. Even among such a stacked lineup, Zayed carved out his own identity playing Shah Rukh's younger brother, 'Lakshman Prasad Sharma alias Lucky'. His cool, carefree screen presence struck a chord with young audiences, and he became an overnight favourite.
The story behind how he landed the role is just as interesting. Zayed has said in an interview that he had actually gone to meet Farah Khan to discuss the choreography of a song from his debut film. Farah liked his look and attitude so much that she mentally cast him for the role of 'Lucky' right there. The film gave him his real breakthrough.
When Zayed later met Shah Rukh Khan, the superstar jokingly asked him, 'Bhai, tujhe acting aati hai na?' (Brother, you do know how to act, right?). Zayed confidently shot back, 'Main acting family se aata hoon, acting toh mere khoon mein hai' (I come from a family of actors, acting is in my blood). That confidence paid off, and the film went on to become the biggest turning point of his career.
Big Films Followed, But the Credit Went Elsewhere
After the massive success of 'Main Hoon Naa', it seemed Zayed Khan's career was finally ready to take off. He landed one big film after another, including 'Dus', 'Shabd', 'Vaada', 'Rocky', 'Cash', 'Speed' and 'Blue'. His work in the multi-starrers 'Dus' and 'Yuvraaj' was appreciated, but the credit for their success largely went to bigger stars like Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan and Salman Khan. As a result, Zayed Khan remained confined to supporting roles and never quite reached the stardom his launch had once promised.
Even today, on his 46th birthday, Zayed Khan may not be as active on the big screen as before, but the impression he made as 'Lucky' in 'Main Hoon Naa' still stays with his fans.
