Pakistani actress, Zeba Bakhtiar became an overnight sensation in India with her portrayal of the titular role in the film, Henna, released in 1991. Starring opposite Rishi Kapoor, she charmed the audience with her performance as the mesmerisingly beautiful Pakistani-Kashmiri girl and her tragic love life. Zeba also starred in and as Anarkali, and portrayed another unlucky-in-love female character. The actress’ personal life, when it comes to love and commitment, has not been quite successful either. The actress was married four times, with each of them ending in messy divorces.
Zeba Bakhtiar was first married to Salman Valliani, before making her on-screen debut
Zeba Bakhtiar has grabbed many headlines with her interesting life filled with many ups and downs. Her father, Yahya Bakhtiar, was a lawyer and a politician and had also served as the Attorney General of Pakistan. Meanwhile, her mother was a British woman of Hungarian descent. Zeba had grown up in Quetta, Pakistan, and married a man named Salman Valliani there in 1985. However, the couple got divorced a year later. Reportedly, Zeba and Salman also had a daughter who was later adopted by the actress’ sister.
Two years after her divorce, Zeba Bakhtiar made her first on-screen debut in the TV series, Anarkali, at the age of 25. Her portrayal of the titular character was immensely praised and helped her establish a name for herself in the industry. After her debut, Zeba’s luck was on her side, since legendary Bollywood actor and director, Raj Kapoor signed her up for his last film, Henna. The veteran superstar was smitten by the fresh-faced beauty of Zeba and wanted her to play the lead role of ‘Henna’, opposite Rishi Kapoor. The film went on to become a box office hit and made the actress popular in India as well.
Zeba Bakhtiar’s failed marriage with Jaaved Jaaferi and an unsuccessful film career in India
Before her Bollywood debut with the 1991 film, Henna, Zeba Bakhtiar was married to Indian actor, Jaaved Jaaferi. The couple got married in 1989 in secret; however, rumours started floating around soon after. Zeba denied these claims and said that they were just speculations. Jaaved, on the other hand, made their nikahnama public. But a year after their marriage, the couple went their separate ways after a mutual divorce. In 1991, Jaaved Jaaferi got married for the second time to Habiba Jaaferi.
During this time, Zeba Bakhtiar’s Henna film was released in cinemas, which made her a sought-after actress all across the Indian subcontinent. The Pakistani actress went on to star in four more Bollywood films, Mohabbat Ki Arzoo, Jai Vikranta, and others with top actors such as Vinod Khanna, Jackie Shroff, and more. However, none of her Indian films worked well after Henna. After back-to-back flops, Zeba went back to Pakistan.
Zeba Bakhtiar’s marriage to Adnan Sami, followed by a messy third divorce
Zeba Bakhtiar and Adnan Sami (then a Pakistani citizen) got married in 1993. Their marriage garnered a lot of attention since Adnan was younger than Zeba, and he was also a newcomer, whereas the actress was well-established in the industry. Moreover, the couple was also considered a mismatch. However, they appeared in a Pakistani movie called Sargam in 1995, which was widely appreciated by the audience. A year after their marriage, the couple also welcomed their son, Azaan Sami Khan, who followed in both his parents’ footsteps and is now a music composer and actor.
After a few years of marital bliss, Zeba and Adnan headed for a divorce and fought for the custody of their son, Azaan. The actress won the custody, but Adnan also shared responsibility. After Zeba, the music composer got married and divorced again. Now, Adnan and his third wife, Roya, have been together since 2010 and have a daughter. Given their difficult divorce, both Zeba and Adnan have talked about their relationship. Recently, Adnan said in an interview with Bollywood Bubble:
“Sometimes what happens is that with time, for whatever reason, it was not meant to be, and that does not make you or me a bad person. That is destiny. After a certain period, you realise that it is not working and you part. We tried, and it did not work out for whatever reason; maybe it ended in a fight or a major clash.”
Zeba Bakhtiar got married for the last time in 2009
In 2009, Zeba Bakhtiar reportedly got married to a man named Sohail Khan Leghari at the age of 47. But this marriage did not last even a year. The actress’ last chance to love ended in a divorce within a year. To note, Zeba has never stated that she was married to Jaaved Jaaferi and got married for the fourth time to someone called Sohail. In an interview with a Pakistani news portal, Zeba mentioned her first marriage before entering the showbiz industry and called Adnan Sami her second husband. In the interview, she talked about remarriage and said:
“The truth is that if I had found a good man worthy of marriage, I would have gotten married—but I never got such an opportunity.”
What are your thoughts on Zeba Bakhtiar’s tumultuous love life with four marriages, followed by divorces?
Also Read: Adnan Sami On Divorce From First Wife, Zeba Bakhtiar, ‘We Tried, Did Not Work Out, Let Us Respect’