ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Actor Mazhar Khan, 43, dies of kidney failure

Mazhar Khan, noted film and television personality and estranged husband of actress Zeenat Aman, died of renal failure last evening. The 43-year-old actor leaves behind his mother, brother, sister, and three sons, Azhar, Azaan and Zahaan.

Khan, who had a chronic renal problem, was admitted to Lilawati Hospital in north-west Bombay on Tuesday morning following kidney failure and a massive heart attack. He died on Wednesday at 1730 hours.

Khan had only returned to Bombay last week after undergoing treatment in hospitals in Atlanta and London and was keeping well till Tuesday morning.

His last rites were performed at the Santa Cruz cemetery on Wednesday night. The ceremony was attended by, among others, Hindi film stars Jaaved Jaffrey, Jackie Shroff, and Kumar Gaurav, directors J P Dutta and Shashilal Nair, and financier Bharat Shah.

Khan was best remembered for his debut performance as a legless beggar in Shaan in which he acted with the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. The song Naam Abdul hai mera, kya, picturised on him, became an instant hit. But since the film did not do well, Khan's career did not take off and he had to settle for roles of lesser significance.

His performance in the television mega-serial Buniyaad is also remembered by fans.

Khan was making his directorial debut with the film Gang, which is now almost ready for release after being in the making for a long time. He was also the producer of the film whose cast includes Nana Patekar, Kumar Gaurav, and Jaaved Jaffrey.

Khan was married to Dilip Kumar's niece Rubaina from whom he had a son. He separated from her to marry former Miss India and actress Zeenat Aman, ten years his senior and had two sons from her. But they separated recently with Aman accusing him of mental and physical abuse.

Khan, who had put on considerable weight, had undergone liposuction some years ago. But the sudden loss of weight caused other problems and added to the liver and pancreas trouble which he had been having for a long time.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report