Remember Sajid? The talented child actor who played little Birju in Mehboob Khan’s Academy Award-nominated “Mother India (1957).” The little boy from the slums of Bombay was spotted by Mehboob Khan, who was so impressed by the child’s confidence that he cast him in the now iconic role of young Birju in Mother India.
Later, Mehboob Khan and his wife, Sardar Akhtar, fostered him as their son and sent him to the USA to study, where he became a teen sensation with his starring role in “Maya (1966).”
Sajid Khan was born on December 28, 1951, into a poor family in the slums of Bombay. His life changed when he was discovered by legendary filmmaker Mehboob Khan, the founder of Mehboob Studios. Mehboob Khan needed a mischievous child actor for “Mother India” (1957) for the role of the younger version of Sunil Dutt’s character, Birju. Sajid’s presence of mind and naughty style impressed Mehboob Khan, who ultimately selected him for the role. Sajid’s performance in “Mother India” earned him immense critical acclaim.
Following his debut in “Mother India” in 1957, Sajid took on the lead role in his adopted father’s final film, “Son of India,” in 1962, which has the iconic song “Nahna Munna Rahi hun.” While the movie didn’t fare well commercially, Sajid received acclaim for his performance. After his father’s passing in 1964, Sajid was sent to the United States by his mother, Sardar, where he pursued further education.
Sajid Khan gained recognition in the United States through his role alongside Jay North in the 1966 film “Maya.” The movie’s popularity translated into a television series of the same name, which aired on NBC from September 1967 to February 1968. The show, spanning 18 episodes, catapulted Sajid into the status of a “teen idol,” gracing the covers of popular magazines. Beyond acting, he briefly ventured into singing, even releasing a self-titled album during his multifaceted career. His singles “Getting to Know You” and “Dream” reached number 8 and 19, respectively, on US Bub. (Billboard).
He guest-starred in an episode of the television series “The Big Valley” and appeared in the music variety show “It’s Happening” as a guest judge. In the early 1970s, he found success in the Philippines, starring as the male lead in several romantic comedy films such as ”The Singing Filipina,” ”My Funny Girl’,’ and ”The Prince and I,” opposite leading Philippine actresses Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos.
He also starred in a short film, Mahatma and the Mad Boy (1974), directed by Ismail Merchant of Merchant Ivory Productions. Khan also played the role of a dacoit chief in the Merchant-Ivory production ”Heat and Dust” (1983).
Sajid Khan attempted to return to Hindi films in the 1970s, but none of his films from 1972 to 1983 were financially successful. Some of his films from this period include Savera (1972) with Rehana Sultan, Do Nambar Ke Amir (1974) with Asha Sachdev, Zindagi Aur Toofan (1974), and Mandir Masjid (1977) with Yogeeta Bali. He also played a guest role in Sunil Dutt’s Daku aur Jawan in 1978 and a cameo in Dahshat (1981).
Sajid Khan was linked to Rekha in the early 70s. He married Zeenat Khan some time in the 1970s and had a son, Sameer Khan. He separated from his wife in the 1990s and settled in South Africa. Sajid later married Sanjusha Khan, a Malayali woman he met while staying at Keraleeyam Resort, Alappuzha, Kerala, for ayurvedic treatment.
After his marriage with Sanjusha, which was blessed by his son, Sameer, and first wife, Zeenat, he settled in Alappuzha. It was here he fell ill and was diagnosed with cancer. Sajid Khan died on 22 Dec 2023, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was buried in Alappuzha as wished by him.
