Zayed Khan reacts to criticism over Zarine Khan’s Hindu funeral: ‘Her last wish mattered most’
Actor Zayed Khan has finally addressed the backlash surrounding the last rites of his mother, Zarine Khan, who passed away in Mumbai in November last year at the age of 81 due to age-related ailments. The visuals of Zayed performing her funeral rituals as per Hindu traditions had sparked debate online, given Zarine’s Parsi roots and her marriage into a Muslim family.
Now, speaking about the criticism, Zayed has made it clear that the decision was guided solely by his mother’s final wish.
In a recent interview, Zayed spoke emotionally about his family’s belief system, emphasizing that religion is deeply personal and not something to be judged externally. “We as a family find religion to be something very personal to you, and how you want to approach it, and not something which is better and which is worse. These are not things that are good to say. We define ourselves by being a very secular family, and we don’t need to say why,” he said.
Highlighting the values he grew up with, Zayed added that insaaniyat (humanity) is the foremost religion in his home. He shared that his family embraces diversity, not just in belief but also in everyday life, extending support and opportunities to people from different backgrounds.
Zayed revealed that the decision to perform Hindu rituals stemmed from a simple yet powerful wish expressed by his mother during her lifetime. Recalling a moment when she was sitting by a river, he said, “The thought just passed her head, saying that if I ever go, I want my ashes to flow in this river. I want to be free.”
For him, fulfilling that wish took precedence over public opinion. “Whatever your mother’s last wishes, it will be done. It doesn’t matter what other people say,” he added, acknowledging the negativity but choosing not to dwell on it. “I don’t blame them… the situation is such. It will take time to change.”
Zarine Khan was not only a beloved family figure but also had a brief association with Hindi cinema, appearing in the 1963 film Tere Ghar Ke Samne alongside Dev Anand. She later married actor Sanjay Khan in 1966, and the couple shared a long and enduring marriage.
She is survived by her husband Sanjay and their children — Zayed, Sussanne Khan, Farah Khan Ali, and Simone Arora.
The post Zayed Khan reacts to criticism over Zarine Khan’s Hindu funeral: ‘Her last wish mattered most’ appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
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