Zayed Khan, fondly remembered as the charming face from films like Main Hoon Na and Dus, made his Bollywood debut in 2004 and quickly rose to heartthrob status. Around that period, he also made news for marrying his high school friend Malaika Parekh, whom he had known since 1995.
Zayed Khan recalls losing multiple films after choosing to marry at 25; says, “Many people were against me getting married at that time, especially several producers”
In a recent candid chat with Siddharth Kannan, Zayed opened up about the early days of their relationship, recalling how hard it was to win her over. “Mujhe lagta hai 2 mahine lage sirf aankh mein aankh milane mein, aur she was a tough girl to woo. Not easy,” he said, admitting it took two months just to make eye contact.
Zayed also reflected on his decision to marry at the young age of 25—an unconventional move in the film industry at the time, where many believed that marriage could harm an actor’s commercial appeal.
Zayed Khan shared, “You’re right that many people were against me getting married at that time, especially several producers I had signed films with. They warned me, saying things like, ‘Your market value will fall, your fan following will drop.’”
He added, “I genuinely called each of them and stepped back from about 10–15 films I had signed—maybe even 30. Out of all those, only three producers told me, ‘No, no, no, you go ahead. We still want you.’”
Zayed Khan also opened up about his deep connection with Malaika Parekh, calling it “love at first sight.” He said, “I’ve never been the kind of guy who wanted a long-term relationship or anything like that. But I saw somebody who was probably meant for me. It was love at first sight. I don’t know what happened to me — I just saw this girl and said, ‘I’m going to marry her.’ Without even talking to her. I just knew it. I don’t know why. I just knew it.”
Reflecting on a significant turning point in their relationship, Zayed recalled, “In 2004, Malaika’s father passed away. He had a heart attack. And I just went to her house and told her, ‘Pack your bag. You’re coming and staying with me. We’re going to get married.’”
He shared that he had a close bond with her family: “I really loved her father and I really loved her mother, they were beautiful people. And I had a very special bond with her father. And this was my girl, man. Nobody could take her away from me.”
Zayed Khan made it clear that he has never regretted marrying young. However, he acknowledged that being in the limelight came with its own set of challenges—especially as his fame grew and he began receiving increased attention from female fans.
When asked if that ever created insecurity in his relationship, Zayed responded with honesty and compassion for Malaika. “See, being liked by the fan following of ladies, girls and women was a good thing in an actor’s life. How you handle it, that is important. Was it tough? Yeah, very tough. It was tougher for her.”
He continued, “Never insecure, I don’t think she is ever insecure. I can sense that she did hold back a lot of things that she probably wanted to tell me, and it’s the nature of the beast, unfortunately. You do get swayed by a lot of things and people. And there could have been mistakes, and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary.”
When asked directly if he had made any mistakes in his relationship, Zayed Khan responded with disarming honesty: “Innocent are those who have not got caught as yet.”
He also reflected on the unique circumstances surrounding his marriage to Malaika. While the couple had a grand wedding celebration attended by thousands, they had actually tied the knot in a private ceremony days earlier. Seeking a moment away from the public eye, Malaika had planned an intimate wedding with just close friends and family.
In the same interview, Zayed admitted he wasn’t familiar with many Hindu rituals and often relied on Malaika to guide him through the traditional proceedings.
Zayed and Malaika are proud parents to their 17-year-old son, Zidaan.
BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2025 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.