# Arif Khan (former actor)
**Arif Khan** is a former Bollywood actor best known for playing the villain Rocky in *Phool Aur Kaante* (1991), the debut film of [Ajay Devgn](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajay-devgn). He appeared in roughly 14 to 15 Hindi films and television serials during the 1990s, most prominently as an antagonist opposite Ajay Devgn, Salman Khan, and [Suniel Shetty](https://www.edgepedia.org/suniel-shetty), and later played Mariane's taxi driver in the Hollywood film *A Mighty Heart* (2007). He later left the film industry, joined the [Tablighi Jamaat](https://www.edgepedia.org/tablighi-jamaat), and became a religious preacher, or Maulana, with sources differing on the timing of his departure.[1](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Debut | *Phool Aur Kaante* (1991), as the villain Rocky, in Ajay Devgn's debut film[1](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097) |
| Career output | 14 to 15 films plus television serials, by his own account[3](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan-life-biography-how-he-choose-path-of-relegion-3095629.html) |
| Biggest commercial film | *Mohra* (1994), a Blockbuster with a net gross of 120,125,000 rupees in India[4](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/actor.php?actorid=11662) |
| Hollywood appearance | *A Mighty Heart* (2007), as Mariane's taxi driver[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/) |
| Life after films | Joined the Tablighi Jamaat and became a Maulana; reported as 56 years old and living in India in 2025[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms) • [3](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan-life-biography-how-he-choose-path-of-relegion-3095629.html) |
| Post-film work | Left his film savings behind after turning religious, ran a small juice center, and later a garment store in Pune[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/bio/) |
## Career
Khan entered [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) with *Phool Aur Kaante* (released 22 November 1991), the same film in which Ajay Devgn made his debut. His negative role as Rocky became popular with audiences.[1](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097) • [7](https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/sahibganj/story-former-actor-arif-khan-welcomed-by-local-youth-in-teenpahad-201777149767325.html) According to figures reported by Sacnilk and cited by TV9 Hindi, the film was made on a budget of 25 million rupees (2.50 crore rupees) and collected 115 million rupees (11.50 crore rupees) worldwide.[3](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan-life-biography-how-he-choose-path-of-relegion-3095629.html)
**Villain roles through the 1990s.** After the debut, Khan established himself as a supporting antagonist. He appeared opposite [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan) in *[Veergati](https://www.edgepedia.org/veergati)* (1995), opposite Suniel Shetty in *Mohra* (1994), and again as a villain facing Ajay Devgn in *Diljale* (1996).[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms) His other screen credits include *Muskurahat* (1992, as Verma's son), *Baaghi Sultana* (1993), *Boy Friend* (1993, as Kumar), *Tejasvini* (1994, as Vicky Khurana), *Ahankaar* (1995), *Hulchul* (1995, uncredited, as Niranjan Shobraj), *Zameer: The Awakening of a Soul* (1997, as Vikram, Gajraj's brother), and *Mohabbat Aur Jung* (1998, as Shakti).[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/)
Box Office India records *Mohra* as the largest commercial success of his filmography, a Blockbuster with a net India gross of 120,125,000 rupees, followed by *Diljale* at 90,900,000 rupees (Semi Hit). His later films fared poorly: *Zameer* and *Mohabbat Aur Jung* were both classified as Disasters.[4](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/actor.php?actorid=11662)
**A Mighty Heart.** In 2007 Khan appeared in the Hollywood film *A Mighty Heart*, playing Mariane's taxi driver alongside [Angelina Jolie](https://www.edgepedia.org/angelina-jolie). This was his last significant screen appearance before he left acting.[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms)
## Leaving the industry
Khan has said that he felt restlessness in the film industry and found no peace in its fast-moving world, that he was troubled by not getting films with big banners, and that he developed an addiction to intoxicants; he decided to leave everything and follow the path of Allah.[8](https://e24bollywood.com/entertainment/bollywood-villain-who-quit-acting-to-become-a-maulana-know-about-phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan/468604/) In a December 2024 Instagram video he recounted: "You must have seen my film Phool Aur Kaante in 1991. It was a huge and famous film in India. It was my and Ajay Devgn's first film. I was full of youth, 23 years old. After that, I worked in 14-15 films and even TV serials. I was living a life filled with respect, wealth and fame," adding that Allah later showed him the path of guidance and his life changed.[1](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097)
The timing of his departure is reported differently by sources. Live [Hindustan](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan) and the Times of India state that he left the film industry in 2007 and joined the Tablighi Jamaat,[7](https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/sahibganj/story-former-actor-arif-khan-welcomed-by-local-youth-in-teenpahad-201777149767325.html) • [2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms) while News9live writes that it is believed he left the industry 25 years ago,[1](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097) and Lokmat reports that he joined the Tablighi Jamaat in 1997.[9](https://www.lokmat.com/filmy/bollywood/bollywoods-dangerous-villain-suddenly-left-the-industry-after-15-films-and-became-a-maulana-do-you-know-him-a-a603/)
## Life after films
After turning religious, Khan left behind the savings he had earned from films, ran a small juice center, and later ran a garment store in Pune, according to his IMDb biography page.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/bio/) He now works as a religious speaker and preacher with the Tablighi Jamaat.[2](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms) In April 2026, Live Hindustan reported that he was welcomed by local youth at Teenpahad in Sahibganj district, [Jharkhand](https://www.edgepedia.org/jharkhand), while traveling with his son Zeeshan to attend a religious gathering in Boriyo; he told those present that he had worked in 14 to 15 films and several TV shows in the 1990s and that he now finds considerable peace.[7](https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/sahibganj/story-former-actor-arif-khan-welcomed-by-local-youth-in-teenpahad-201777149767325.html)
## References
1. [Phool Aur Kaante: Why did villain of Ajay Devgn starrer leave industry to follow path of faith? News9live (4 February 2025)](https://www.news9live.com/entertainment/bollywood/phool-aur-kaante-why-did-villain-of-ajay-devgn-starrer-leave-industry-to-follow-path-of-faith-2813097)
2. [Actor who once took on Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn, left Bollywood for spirituality, now unrecognizable, The Times of India (12 January 2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/actor-who-once-took-on-salman-khan-and-ajay-devgn-left-bollywood-for-spirituality-now-unrecognizable-find-out-here/articleshow/117168664.cms)
3. ['फूल और कांटे' के विलेन ने कैसे चुना दीन का रास्ता? TV9 Hindi (3 February 2025)](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan-life-biography-how-he-choose-path-of-relegion-3095629.html)
4. [Arif Khan Filmography, Box Office India](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/actor.php?actorid=11662)
5. [Arif Khan (II), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/)
6. [Arif Khan Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268997/bio/)
7. [पूर्व फिल्म अभिनेता आरिफ खान का तीनपहाड़ में स्वागत, Live Hindustan (26 April 2026)](https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/sahibganj/story-former-actor-arif-khan-welcomed-by-local-youth-in-teenpahad-201777149767325.html)
8. [एक्टिंग छोड़ मौलाना बना ये बॉलीवुड एक्टर, E24 Bollywood (12 January 2025)](https://e24bollywood.com/entertainment/bollywood-villain-who-quit-acting-to-become-a-maulana-know-about-phool-aur-kaante-actor-arif-khan/468604/)
9. [बॉलीवूडचा डेंजरस व्हिलन, १५ सिनेमानंतर अचानक सोडली इंडस्ट्री अन् बनला मौलाना, Lokmat](https://www.lokmat.com/filmy/bollywood/bollywoods-dangerous-villain-suddenly-left-the-industry-after-15-films-and-became-a-maulana-do-you-know-him-a-a603/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 1970s to 1990s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license