Actor, film-maker Sanjay Khan’s wife Zarine Khan passed away on November 7, 2025 due to cardiac arrest, at the age of 81. Her funeral took place on the same day and it was attended by several of the family’s friends from the industry. Sanjay and Zarine have four children – Sussanne Khan, Zayed Khan, Farah Ali Khan and Simone Khan. One also saw Sussanne’s ex-husband Hrithik Roshan at the funeral. Other celebs who arrived included Jackie Shroff, Esha Deol, Kajol among others. As Zarine’s last rites took place and several videos surfaced online, many wondered by she the funeral took place as per Hindu customs and not Muslim rituals.
Why did Zarine have a funeral as per Hindu rituals?
One saw a heartbroken Zayed Khan leading the final rites, under the guidance of a pandit while Zarine’s grand children carried her mortal remains. Here’s why Zarine had a Hindu funeral. Some reports suggest that Zayed Khan fulfilled her last wish to have a ‘dah-sanskaar’ because she was born a Hindu as her earlier name was Zarine Katrak. She did not convert to Islam after marrying Sanjay Khan. However, in an earlier interview with Simi Garewal, Zarine had said she was Zoroastrian. Zarine had said, “We were total opposites. He wore a white shirt, pants with Kolhapuri chappals and a book of Tolstoy in his hand, very serious and charismatic and I was the modern Zohrastrian girl skirts and rock and roll shoes.”As far as the Zoroastrian funeral customs are concerned, the traditional method of disposing of the dead is known as Dokhmenashini. In this ritual, the deceased is placed inside a Tower of Silence or Dakhma — a circular, open-air structure where the body is exposed to sunlight. Birds such as vultures, eagles, and crows then consume the remains, symbolising the natural return of the body to the elements.But in recent years, the community has adapted to alternate practices due to the sharp decline in the vulture population across India. As a result, many Zoroastrians now opt for cremation. Even the last rites of renowned industrialist Ratan Tata were carried out at a crematorium in Mumbai, marking this shift in tradition.
About Zarine-Sanjay’s love story
Sanjay had spoken about Zarine during this chat with Simi. He had said, “When I met Zarine I knew I found the girl I wanted to marry. I felt comfortable. I enjoyed looking at her face. Those lovely eyes… She had juicy lips… she had the most scintillating smile and terrific figure. She was pink.”Before her marriage, Zarine Katrak had already made a name for herself as a popular model in the 1960s. She appeared in films like ‘Tere Ghar Ke Samne’ and ‘Ek Phool Do Mali’, impressing audiences with her grace and beauty. However, after marrying into the Khan family, she moved away from acting and focused on interior design and home decor. Zarine also expressed her creativity through writing, penning cookbooks and lifestyle articles over the years.
