Before she became a top Bollywood choreographer and blockbuster director, and before he was a popular filmmaker and TV personality, Farah Khan and Sajid Khan lived through an extraordinarily difficult childhood—marked by broken dreams, financial ruin, and survival instincts sharpened by desperation. The root of it all? A film project their father never finished.
In a candid conversation on Timeout with Ankit, Sajid Khan opened up about the series of events that triggered their family’s downward spiral. Their father, Kamran Khan, was once a filmmaker known for producing black-and-white B-grade films with actor Dara Singh. Hoping to break into mainstream cinema, Kamran put everything he owned on the line for an ambitious new project. He invested his life savings, mortgaged his assets, and signed superstar Sanjeev Kumar to lead the film. But halfway through production, Sanjeev Kumar reportedly walked away, leaving the film incomplete and Kamran Khan financially destroyed.
The collapse of the film led to more than just monetary loss. Kamran began drinking heavily, which eventually resulted in his separation from the family. Sajid revealed that he and Farah were left saddled with a debt of ₹3 lakh in 1984—an enormous sum at the time. Sajid was just 14, and Farah was only 17. In an interview with Simi Garewal, Farah Khan had once shared that her father passed away with just Rs 30.
From driving an Impala to standing in bus queue
In an earlier interview with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa on Bharti TV, Farah Khan reflected on the intense hardships her family endured after her father's film career collapsed. She described how they were forced to sell nearly everything they owned—cars, jewellery, and even their gramophone—until all that remained were two sofas and a fan.
She spoke about her father's emotional decline, revealing that he began drinking in the morning, unable to cope with the downfall. Farah explained that despite being labelled an “insider,” the struggle can feel even more brutal for those who have once tasted success. Her father, who once drove an Impala, couldn’t bear the idea of standing in a bus queue, highlighting how devastating the fall from grace can be when it comes early in life, instead of later.
How did a young Farah and Sajid pay off the debts?
To repay the mounting debts, Sajid shared in his interview with Ankit that he began performing mimicry acts at birthday parties and beaches on Sundays, handing over the money to Farah while saving a bit to catch a movie. Farah, meanwhile, began choreographing dance routines and soon formed her own dance troupe. That marked the beginning of her long and illustrious journey in Bollywood. Sajid Khan further credited Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan, for taking care of the funeral expenses of his father, Kamran Khan.
Farah Khan’s rise to success
Farah eventually rose to the top of the industry, choreographing iconic dance numbers and then turning director with Main Hoon Na, followed by the blockbuster Om Shanti Om, both starring Shah Rukh Khan.
In a candid conversation on Timeout with Ankit, Sajid Khan opened up about the series of events that triggered their family’s downward spiral. Their father, Kamran Khan, was once a filmmaker known for producing black-and-white B-grade films with actor Dara Singh. Hoping to break into mainstream cinema, Kamran put everything he owned on the line for an ambitious new project. He invested his life savings, mortgaged his assets, and signed superstar Sanjeev Kumar to lead the film. But halfway through production, Sanjeev Kumar reportedly walked away, leaving the film incomplete and Kamran Khan financially destroyed.
The collapse of the film led to more than just monetary loss. Kamran began drinking heavily, which eventually resulted in his separation from the family. Sajid revealed that he and Farah were left saddled with a debt of ₹3 lakh in 1984—an enormous sum at the time. Sajid was just 14, and Farah was only 17. In an interview with Simi Garewal, Farah Khan had once shared that her father passed away with just Rs 30.
From driving an Impala to standing in bus queue
In an earlier interview with Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa on Bharti TV, Farah Khan reflected on the intense hardships her family endured after her father's film career collapsed. She described how they were forced to sell nearly everything they owned—cars, jewellery, and even their gramophone—until all that remained were two sofas and a fan.
She spoke about her father's emotional decline, revealing that he began drinking in the morning, unable to cope with the downfall. Farah explained that despite being labelled an “insider,” the struggle can feel even more brutal for those who have once tasted success. Her father, who once drove an Impala, couldn’t bear the idea of standing in a bus queue, highlighting how devastating the fall from grace can be when it comes early in life, instead of later.
How did a young Farah and Sajid pay off the debts?
To repay the mounting debts, Sajid shared in his interview with Ankit that he began performing mimicry acts at birthday parties and beaches on Sundays, handing over the money to Farah while saving a bit to catch a movie. Farah, meanwhile, began choreographing dance routines and soon formed her own dance troupe. That marked the beginning of her long and illustrious journey in Bollywood. Sajid Khan further credited Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan, for taking care of the funeral expenses of his father, Kamran Khan.
Farah Khan’s rise to success
Farah eventually rose to the top of the industry, choreographing iconic dance numbers and then turning director with Main Hoon Na, followed by the blockbuster Om Shanti Om, both starring Shah Rukh Khan.
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