Zayed Khan! A failed star kid actor, but boy did he put out some fun stuff in the short time he was working.

Zayed! Part of the Feroz Khan family, successful actor/producers from the outside in the 80s, very good at figuring out what would appeal to the public at the time more than they were talented performers or original writers or any of the rest of it. They arrived in Bombay as refugees from Afghanistan/Iran (their parents had a mixed marriage) and were handsome and different looking enough to get a chance in film. Feroz was the head of the family and the most famous. His younger brother Sanjay was second most successful and famous. In the next generation, it was Sanjay and Feroz’s children who tried to keep the film tradition alive. Feroz’s son Fardeen got a good launch and had a decent career for a few years. Sanjay’s daughter Suzanne married another second generation film kid (Hrithik Roshan) and is firmly embedded in film culture now. And then there is Sanjay’s son Zayed.

Zayed got his big break in Main Hoon Na because Farah Khan asked Hrithik to be in it and he couldn’t, but suggested his brother-in-law Zayed instead. And Zayed was great! He had only one previous film, and his performance in Main Hoon Na was really impressive as a second film. And only 23 years old! He handled some emotional speeches without falling into melodrama, great comic timing, worked hard at the dancing, really far better than most young starting out actors.

His career didn’t leave up to that potential at all, unfortunately. But he did give me 3 songs that make me super super happy to watch. Here, try these, I guarantee at least one of them will be a hit for you.

“Chale Jaise Hawaien”

“Cham Se”

“Rozaana”