Bollywood actor Zayed Khan, son of veteran actor-director Sanjay Khan, recently revealed the heartbreaking ordeal his family went through following a devastating fire accident during the shooting of the TV show The Sword of Tipu Sultan. In a candid conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Zayed recalled how the fire not only left his father with third-degree burns but also triggered a severe financial crisis for their family. The actor emotionally described how their home had to be mortgaged, and the family had to make numerous lifestyle compromises just to survive.
The fire happened during the shoot of Tipu Sultan, and my dad was badly injured. What hurt me the most was seeing the pain in my mother and sisters. They took charge of everything, and we were financially broken,” Zayed said. He called his mother “like God” and admired how she held the family together through one of their darkest times. He shared that they had to give up cars, rely on taxis and auto-rickshaws, and make other sacrifices. “Our house was mortgaged. You really find out who your true friends are during such times,” Zayed reflected. Zayed also mentioned that he volunteered to go to boarding school so his mother could focus on other responsibilities. One of his proudest moments was handing over his first paycheck — from his debut film Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne — to his mother. The tragic fire incident occurred in 1989, during the production of The Sword of Tipu Sultan. Due to the lack of fire safety protocols, 52 crew members lost their lives, and Sanjay Khan had to undergo 74 surgeries due to severe burns. Remarkably, he returned to finish the show after recovery. Zayed Khan, who later gained fame for his role in Main Hoon Na opposite Shah Rukh Khan, was also seen in films like Dus, Shabd, Yuvvraaj, and Fight Club. Although he stepped away from the film industry for a while to focus on family, Zayed has hinted at a potential comeback in 2023, though details remain under wraps.
