When Ajit Refused To Facilitate Son Shehzad Khan's Big Bollywood Break

Ajit, a famous Bollywood actor known as the Lion of Bollywood, captivated the Hindi cinema audience with his deep voice, big sunglasses, stylish attire and memorable catchphrases like ‘Sara shehar mujhe lion ke naam se jaanta hai’ and ‘Mona Darling’ while playing negative roles. His son, Shehzad Khan, who played Bhalla in Andaz Apna Apna, also became known for his villainous roles. However, Shehzad never received support from his father. Instead, Ajit made Shehzad’s life difficult, as he had a similar tough personality off-screen as he did on-screen.

In a recent interview, Shehzad talked about his initial talk with his father regarding his desire to become an actor. He recalled, “When I first told my father I wanted to be an actor, he gave me his peculiar look and said, ‘Son, I won’t make any film for you. I won’t launch you. You go and struggle on your own and try not to use my name. Also, don’t make me talk to anyone on the phone”.

That day, Shehzad made a decision never to accept money from his father and instead sought help from his friends. “My friends assisted me in arranging my photo session,” he revealed.

When asked why his father didn’t assist him in getting film roles or promoting him in the industry, Shehzad explained, “My father witnessed the downfall of Kumar Gaurav, the son of superstar Rajendra Kumar. Kumar Gaurav’s first film was a hit, but then his career declined. So, my father thought, ‘If this can happen to a hero’s son, then I, being a character actor, should not intervene.’ Perhaps he was right in his way.”

Ajit was a strict father and stopped giving his son pocket money after Shehzad completed his class 10 exams. “He was very strict. He did whatever he could to push me. I endured it all. After my 10th exams, he told me, ‘We can’t give you pocket money anymore, but we’ll provide you with food. This is my friend’s office, go work there. Whatever you earn will be yours,'” Shehzad recalled.

Shehzad Khan began his Bollywood career with Mansoor Khan’s Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. While he appeared in numerous films, he became well-known for his role as Bhalla, Teja’s assistant, in Andaz Apna Apna. His most recent appearance was in the television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, where he played the character Danger Mani Bhai.