# Sanjay Khan (संजय खान)
**Sanjay Khan** (संजय खान; born Shah Abbas Khan, in 1940 according to his official biography and IMDb, in 1941 according to [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) and Bharatdiscovery) is an Indian film actor, producer, director, and television director known for his work in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) and television[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/bio) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) • [4](https://bharatdiscovery.org/india/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8). He acted in Hindi films from the 1960s through the 1980s, moved into production and direction in the late 1970s, and later created historical television series, most notably *The Sword of Tipu Sultan* (1990)[3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth name and place | Shah Abbas Khan, born in Bangalore, India; sources give the year as 1940 or 1941[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) |
| Film debut | A brief appearance in Chetan Anand's *Haqeeqat* (1964), followed by Rajshri Productions' *Dosti*, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi[5](https://cinemaazi.com/people/sanjay-khan) |
| Notable 1960s–70s films | *Dus Lakh*, *Ek Phool Do Mali*, *Intaquam*, *Mela*, *Dhund*, *Nagin*[3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) |
| As producer-director | *Chandi Sona* (1977), his first home production, and *Abdullah* (1980), starring Raj Kapoor[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/sanjay-khan) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) |
| Television | *The Sword of Tipu Sultan* (1990), a 60-episode series based on Bhagwan Gidwani's novel; later *The Great Maratha* (1994) and *Jai Hanuman* (1997)[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/) • [8](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/filmography-television.html) |
| 1989 studio fire | A fire at Premier Studios, Mysore, on 8 February 1989 killed 62 people; Khan suffered severe burns, spent 13 months in hospital, and underwent more than 70 operations[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/) |
| Family | Married Zarine Khan in 1966; children Farah Khan Ali, Simone Arora, Sussanne Khan, and Zayed Khan; brothers Feroz Khan and [Akbar Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/akbar-khan-director), both film actors[3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) |
## Early life
Khan was born in [Bangalore](https://www.edgepedia.org/bangalore) into a respected Pathan family, the son of Sadiq Ali Khan and Fatima Begum, and was educated at St. Germain [High School](https://www.edgepedia.org/high-school) in the city[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html) • [4](https://bharatdiscovery.org/india/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8). His official biography records that after moving to Bombay he assisted the Hollywood director John Guillerman on the MGM production *Tarzan Goes to India* (1962) before entering Hindi cinema[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html).
His birth name was Shah Abbas Khan; per his IMDb biography, he adopted the screen name Sanjay, a Hindu name, to be seen as part of the mainstream of the Hindi film industry, as [Dilip Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/dilip-kumar) and others had done[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/bio).
## Film career
Khan entered films with a brief appearance in Chetan Anand's *Haqeeqat* (1964) and then took a role in [Rajshri Productions](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajshri-productions)' *Dosti*, which won the [National Film Award for Best Feature Film](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-award-for-best-feature-film) in Hindi for that year[5](https://cinemaazi.com/people/sanjay-khan). Through the 1960s and 1970s he appeared in successful films including *Dus Lakh* (1966), *Ek Phool Do Mali* (1969), *Intaquam* (1969), *Mela* (1971), and *Dhund* (1973)[5](https://cinemaazi.com/people/sanjay-khan). He collaborated with his elder brother Feroz Khan in films such as *Upaasna*, *Mela*, and *Nagin*[3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/).
**Producer and director.** Khan moved behind the camera with *Chandi Sona* (1977), his first home production, which did not make a mark at the box office[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/sanjay-khan). In 1980 he directed and starred in *Abdullah*, a romantic drama with [Raj Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/raj-kapoor), Zeenat Aman, and [Danny Denzongpa](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-denzongpa) in main roles, alongside [Sanjeev Kumar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjeev-kumar), Mehmood, Om Prakash, Kader Khan, and Farida Jalal[5](https://cinemaazi.com/people/sanjay-khan). Indian Film History records that Raj Kapoor's performance in the film won many awards[6](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/sanjay-khan). His last film as actor, director, producer, and writer was *Kala Dhandha Gorey Log* (1986)[9](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/filmography-movies.html).
## Television and the 1989 fire
In 1990 Khan starred in and directed *The Sword of Tipu Sultan*, which his official website describes as India's first mega historical television series, based on the novel of the same name by Bhagwan Gidwani[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html). The series ran to 60 episodes[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/).
During its production, on 8 February 1989, a fire broke out while the unit was shooting at Premier Studios in Mysore, killing 62 people, which makes it the television production with the most deaths on record[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/). Investigators pointed to a lack of ventilation in the building and confirmed that the wall material was highly flammable, with studio lights at full output providing the heat that fed the fire[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/). Khan himself suffered severe burns; Hindi press accounts put the extent at about 65 percent of his body[10](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/sanjay-khan-birthday-special-know-how-the-actor-became-a-lord-hanuman-devotee-3634657.html). He was hospitalized for 13 months and underwent more than 70 operations[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/). In his autobiography, as quoted in the Spanish press, he recalled that a paint can struck the back of his head during the fire, an injury that caused him nine months of severe pain[7](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/).
He returned to television production afterward. His credits as director and producer include *The Great Maratha* (1994), *Jai Hanuman* (1997), *Kranti 1857* (2000), *Maha Kavya Mahabharat* (2001), and *Maharathi Karna* (2002)[8](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/filmography-television.html). IMDb notes that he had earlier produced the mini-series *Sanjay Khan's Mahabharat*, based on the teachings of the [Bhagavad Gita](https://www.edgepedia.org/bhagavad-gita) and depicting the battle between the forces of good and evil[11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/).
## Personal life and recognition
Khan married Zarine Khan, who was Parsi, in 1966; the couple had three daughters, Farah, Simone, and Sussanne, and a son, the actor [Zayed Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/zayed-khan)[3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/) • [11](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/). Bharatdiscovery and The Indian Express also record a marriage to actress [Zeenat Aman](https://www.edgepedia.org/zeenat-aman) in 1978, ending in 1979[4](https://bharatdiscovery.org/india/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/). Zarine Khan died in 2024, and Khan shared a family video of the immersion of her ashes[12](https://epaper.wakeuptelangana.com/media/2025-11/16-november.pdf).
Bharatdiscovery lists a Uttar Pradesh Film Journalists Association Award in 1981, for *Abdullah*, and a Lifetime Achiever Award in 1996[4](https://bharatdiscovery.org/india/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8). His official website states that he has reserved almost three acres of land in Bangalore for a general hospital with a specialized burns section, a college of commerce, and a vocational training center for destitute women[1](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html).
## References
1. [Sanjay Khan Official Website – Biography](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/biography.html)
2. [Sanjay Khan – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/bio)
3. [Sanjay Khan: News, Movies, Photos & Updates, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/sanjay-khan/)
4. [संजय ख़ान, भारतकोश](https://bharatdiscovery.org/india/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%BC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8)
5. [Sanjay Khan – Biography, Films, Legacy, Cinemaazi](https://cinemaazi.com/people/sanjay-khan)
6. [Sanjay Khan – Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/sanjay-khan)
7. [Hace 37 años, se produjo el mayor accidente de la historia de la televisión: 62 personas muertas, MeriStation/AS](https://as.com/meristation/series/hace-37-anos-se-produjo-el-mayor-accidente-de-la-historia-de-la-television-62-personas-muertas-f202607-n/)
8. [Sanjay Khan Official Website – Television Filmography](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/filmography-television.html)
9. [Sanjay Khan Official Website – Movies Filmography](https://www.sanjaykhanofficial.com/filmography-movies.html)
10. [Sanjay Khan Birthday Special, TV9 Hindi](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/sanjay-khan-birthday-special-know-how-the-actor-became-a-lord-hanuman-devotee-3634657.html)
11. [Sanjay Khan – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451313/)
12. [Wake Up Telangana e-paper, 16 November 2025](https://epaper.wakeuptelangana.com/media/2025-11/16-november.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1970s–1980s › Surnames symbols to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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