03 July,2026 01:37 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Khan, Zeenat Aman (Pics/X, Instagram)
Farah Khan Ali has addressed one of Bollywood's most talked-about controversies involving her father, Sanjay Khan, and actor Zeenat Aman. While confirming that the two were once married, she dismissed allegations that Sanjay physically assaulted Zeenat, calling the claims "hogwash."
Sanjay Khan was rumoured to be in a relationship with Zeenat Aman while he was still married to Zarine Khan. Confirming that they even got married, Sanjay's daughter, Farah Khan Ali, told Vickey Lalwani, "Sanjay Khan and Zeenat Aman had indeed entered into a nikah." She said the two were married and later divorced according to Muslim customs.
It was also reported that Zeenat was allegedly assaulted by Sanjay at a party in 1979, in the presence of his wife, Zarine Khan, which led to an eye injury. Calling the claims "bullshit," Farah shared that her father was not a violent man and had never raised his hand on anyone.
"I was very young at that point, so I don't have very strong memories. I was 9-10 years old at the time. But I just want to say that this fake story which keeps coming up on social media about my father beating Zeenat Aman and her eye getting hurt, that's all hogwash because my father hasn't raised his hand on my mother or any of his daughters."
Farah elaborated on Sanjay's relationship with Zeenat and said that it "almost broke" her parents' marriage. Zarine Khan had just given birth to Zayed Khan, and she chose to walk away from everyone when she found out about the relationship. However, she looked completely changed when she returned after three to four months. Farah also recalled that her mother did not just blame Zeenat for the affair and never felt the need to confront her.
After separating from Sanjay Khan, Zeenat married actor-director Mazhar Khan in 1985, and the couple welcomed two sons, Azaan and Zahaan. Mazhar Khan passed away in 1998 after suffering from kidney failure.
In a chat with Simi Garewal on her show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal in 1999, Zeenat spoke about dealing with physical abuse "publicly." In 2023, Zeenat underwent eye surgery for a condition called ptosis.
