Bollywood in the ’70s and ’80s was a time of larger-than-life personalities, flamboyant lifestyles, and scandalous headlines. Among the most talked-about stories of that era was the alleged affair between veteran actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan and the iconic Zeenat Aman. While the rumours and gossip columns of the time kept the affair in the spotlight, it also had a profound impact on the families involved. Recently, Zayed Khan, Sanjay Khan’s son, shed light on this turbulent period during an interview with Zoom, offering a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes reality of his father’s life and the broader industry culture.
Zayed described the Bollywood of his youth as the “Wild Wild West,” a time when the industry was brimming with eccentric personalities and a carefree attitude that seemed to pervade every aspect of life. When asked if his father’s highly publicised affair with Zeenat Aman caused turmoil at home, Zayed admitted that it wasn’t just his family affected by such scandals, it was a widespread phenomenon across the industry.
“It wasn’t just at my dad’s house, but it was happening in every actor’s house. Every person was highly eccentric except one or two oddballs who were really sincere and grounded; the rest of them… phew!” Zayed recalled. He vividly described how, as a child, he observed these larger-than-life figures, decked out in flashy Versace shirts, living in a world that seemed more like a never-ending party than anything else.
Zeenat Aman, who has been candid about her past on social media, recently opened up about an incident that left her with a lasting injury to her right eye. She revealed that 40 years ago, during a violent altercation, the muscles around her eye were damaged, causing her vision to be obstructed. Although Zeenat did not name Sanjay Khan, her references have long been interpreted as pointing toward him. Despite the pain and trauma of the incident, Zeenat has chosen to move forward, stating that she has blocked out many of the memories of that time to focus on her life today.
Sanjay Khan, however, has consistently denied the accusations. In an interview with Hrishikesh Kannan on his podcast, Sanjay claimed that he never hit Zeenat, dismissing her allegations as a “PR attack” designed to tarnish his image. He went on to assert that any issues with Zeenat’s eye were hereditary and not a result of any injury he inflicted. “I never slapped her, and this was blasphemy,” he stated.
During an appearance on Simi Garewal’s show, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, Zayed’s mother, Zarine Khan, also weighed in on her husband’s extramarital affair, though she refrained from mentioning Zeenat by name. Reflecting on the period, Zarine remarked, “There was a time when my marriage seemed to be under threat to a lot of people, but not to me.” Sanjay himself admitted to being unfaithful during Zarine’s pregnancy with Zayed but maintained that his love for his wife and children was unwavering.
Despite the controversies and challenges, Sanjay and Zarine Khan’s marriage has endured. Married since 1966, they have raised four children together—Farah Khan Ali, Simone Arora, Sussanne Khan, and Zayed.
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