The Indian film fraternity is in mourning following the passing of veteran actor and interior designer Zarine Khan. She died on Friday, November 7, at the age of 81 after suffering a cardiac arrest. The beloved matriarch is survived by her husband, actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan, and their children Sussanne Khan, Zayed Khan, Farah Ali Khan, and Simone Arora.
A Daughter's Heartfelt Tribute
A day after her mother's passing, Farah Ali Khan turned to Instagram to share a moving tribute, painting a picture of a truly extraordinary woman. She described Zarine Khan as a "very special woman" whose life philosophy was to "forgive and forget." Farah remembered her mother as a kind-hearted soul, deeply loved by friends and family, who cared profoundly for everyone around her.
In her poignant post, Farah highlighted the remarkable secular spirit that defined her mother's life. "Born a Parsi, married as a Muslim, and cremated according to Hindu rites — she epitomised humanity," she wrote, underscoring how Zarine Khan was the essential bond that held their family together.
An Unbreakable Bond
Farah further illustrated their close relationship by sharing a throwback video from a Mother's Day celebration. In the emotional clip, she is heard telling her mother, "Mum, today on Mother's Day, I want to tell you that I love you too much. You are the first love of my life and the last love of my life because I can't imagine my life without you."
The depth of her mother's influence was evident as Farah revealed that she doesn't even paint a single room in her house without seeking her mother's opinion. The video captured an emotional Zarine responding, "I love you! All I can say is I love you from the bottom of my heart and beyond."
A Lasting Legacy of Love
Farah credited her mother for shaping the person she is today, sharing the invaluable lessons Zarine imparted. "She always taught us to love people more than things — because things can be replaced, people cannot," Farah recalled. She also shared her mother's cherished saying, "Beauty is what beauty does," emphasizing that true beauty emanates from the heart, not merely from external appearance.
Zarine Khan's final rites were performed on Thursday according to Hindu rituals. Her son, Zayed Khan, performed the last rites. The funeral was attended by her grieving children, former son-in-law Hrithik Roshan, Bobby Deol, and several other members of the film industry, who gathered to pay their last respects to a woman celebrated as much for her inner beauty as her public life.
