Sajid Khan | |
|---|---|
 Sajid Khan in television series "Maya" (1967) | |
| Born | (1951-12-28)28 December 1951 Bombay,Maharashtra, India |
| Died | 22 December 2023(2023-12-22) (aged 71) |
| Other names | Sajid Mehboob |
| Years active | 1957–2001 |
Sajid Khan (28 December 1951 – 22 December 2023) was an Indian actor and singer. Born into poverty in theBombay slums,[1] he became the adopted son ofBollywood filmmakerMehboob Khan, founder ofMehboob Studios.[2] He worked in a handful ofIndian films, debuting in his father'sAcademy Award-nominatedMother India (1957) and its sequelSon of India (1962). He later found more success overseas, working in international productions, including films and television shows inNorth America, such asMaya (1966) and itstelevision adaptation, as well as thePhilippines andUnited Kingdom. He was ateen idol in North America and the Philippines from the late 1960s to early 1970s.
Sajid was a poor child from theslums ofBombay (now Mumbai), in India's thenBombay State (nowMaharashtra), before he was discovered byBollywood filmmakerMehboob Khan. Sajid started acting as a child appearing as the younger version ofSunil Dutt's character Birju in Mehboob Khan'sAcademy Award-nominated Hindi filmMother India (1957). Sajid was unknown at the time.[1] His salary in the film was₹750 (equivalent to₹75,000 or US$860 in 2023).[3] He was later adopted by Mehboob Khan and his wifeSardar Akhtar, who named him Sajid Khan.[4]
After his debut inMother India in 1957, he played the title role in his adopted father's next and last filmSon of India in 1962. According to Rauf Ahmed, though the film was not a success at the box-office, Sajid's performance was praised by the critics.[5] After his father's death in 1964, Sajid moved to the United States where he did his further education.
Khan went on to achieve fame in the United States with a co-starring role alongsideJay North in the 1966 filmMaya.[6] The film's success led to a television seriesof the same name airing onNBC from September 1967 to February 1968 and lasting 18 episodes. The show led to Sajid becoming a "teen idol" for a short time, appearing on the cover of popular magazines.[7] He also had a short-lived singing career, releasing a self titled album.
In 1968, he guest-starred in an episode of the television seriesThe Big Valley, and appeared in the music variety showIt's Happening as a guest judge.
Khan also found success in thePhilippines in the early 1970s, starring as the male lead in a number ofromantic comedy films opposite leading Philippine actressesNora Aunor andVilma Santos.[8] He tried to get back intoHindi films, but none of his Hindi films from 1972 to 1983 worked financially. His career's peak period was in 1966–1974 and he was more successful in English films. His last film appearance was in theMerchant Ivory filmHeat and Dust in 1983, where he played the role of "dacoit chief," seen fleetingly in only one scene with no spoken dialogue whatsoever.
Khan was married to a woman whose name is unknown. They had two sons, Stephanos, who lives in the UK, and Sameer. Khan and his wife divorced in 1990.
By the early 1970s, Khan's career was more or less over. It is reported that, around this time, Khan opened a retail store with a small workshop in the back which made costume jewellery. 'Artistic' was the name of the retail store, located in India.
Khan died on 22 December 2023, at the age of 71 after suffering a long battle with cancer.[9]
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Getting to Know You" (Colgems 1026) (b/w "Ha Ram (Of Love And Peace)") | 1968 | 8 | Sajid (1969) |
| "Dream" (Colgems 1034) (b/w "Someday") | 1969 | 19 |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
