Zayed Khan recalls father Sanjay Khan's near-fatal fire accident on Tipu Sultan set: 'His skin was literally melting into the sheets'
In 1989, a fire on The Sword of Tipu Sultan set left Sanjay Khan with over 65% burns and 74 surgeries. His son, Zayed Khan, recalls the trauma and his father's resilience. Sanjay completed the film and rebuilt his life, inspiring Zayed, who now prepares for his OTT comeback.
Actor-filmmaker
Sanjay
Khan's life changed forever in 1989 when a massive fire broke out on the sets of The Sword of
Tipu Sultan
at Premier Studios in Mysore. The tragic incident, sparked by faulty firefighting systems and neglected safety protocols, claimed 52 lives and left Sanjay Khan with over 65% third-degree burns.
The veteran star endured a harrowing recovery, undergoing 74 surgeries over the following years.
In a heartfelt interview with
Siddharth
Kannan, Sanjay's son, actor
Zayed Khan
, opened up about witnessing the trauma as a child and the resilience his father displayed in its aftermath.
'I didn't recognise him at first'
'It was very tough because I was only 11 years old,' Zayed recalled. 'I remember when he was finally brought to the hospital after a month—I was dying to see him.
My mother said, 'Go say hi.' There were two beds in the ICU, both with burn victims. I passed the first bed thinking he was in the second, and suddenly, from behind, a hand raised and called out, 'Zayed.''
What followed was a moment etched in Zayed's memory forever. 'At first, I didn't recognize him. His head was swollen like a football, his skin literally melting into the sheets. He hadn't even seen himself in the mirror yet.
He held my hand and asked, 'Zayed, are you scared?' I couldn't say a word. Then he said something impossible in that moment—'Before you know it, I'll build a better hospital than this so that people like me don't have to come here… and you don't have to see me like this.
I'll make Tipu Sultan again, and we'll have a great time together, my son.''
Zayed said that while the doctors had given up hope, his father's inner strength defied all odds.
'He was made of steel—his soul and heart were something else entirely.'
A triumphant return after 74 surgeries
Two years later, Sanjay Khan proved the doubters wrong. 'He got back on a horse after undergoing 74 surgeries,' Zayed revealed. 'He completed Tipu Sultan, and then took me to Bangalore. He bought land there, handed me the first brick—the foundation brick—and asked me to name it. I named it Golden Palms. And later, he built a hotel there.'
On the work front, Zayed Khan is currently gearing up for a comeback with the OTT film The Film That Never Was.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Meet actor whose entire face got burnt in a fire, his skin started peeling off, underwent 74 surgeries, doctors gave up on him, still doesn't look in the mirror, he is…
During the shooting of films, some accidents happen that people remember for a lifetime. Today we are going to tell you about a famous Bollywood actor whose face was burned in an accident. During this accident, many people lost their lives, and the actor's skin started dripping. This accident happened 36 years ago, and it happened on the set of the TV series 'Tipu Sultan'. A Bollywood actor was directing this show, a huge fire broke out on its set, 54 crew members and including the director himself, were burnt in the fire. This actor's face was almost burned The fire on the set was so severe that this actor had to undergo 74 surgeries after the tragic incident. The actor whom we are talking about is none other than Sanjay Khan. Remembering this terrible accident, Sanjay Khan's son and actor Zayed Khan spoke openly about it in a recent interview. Talking to Siddharth Kannan, Zayed Khan said that when this incident happened, we had to face a lot of difficulties at home. I saw my mother and sister in such a condition, which was very painful. I was just thinking about how I can help them. Then I said should I go to boarding school? Because at that time, they would take care of so many people at once. Zayed Khan also said in that condition, he saw Sanjay Khan for the first time in the hospital. The actor said – I was 11 years old at that time. So after a month, they took me to the hospital. I was restless to see him. At that time, there were two beds in the ICU for the people who had been burned in this terrible fire. I passed by the first bed towards the front. I thought he would be in the second bed. But his voice came from behind. I looked back and said that he cannot be my father. When I went near him, he was burned to a great extent. It seemed as if his skin was melting and dripping on the bedsheet. His skin was splattered on the bedsheet. To date, he is not able to see his face in the mirror. He held my hand and said – Zayed, are you scared? At that time, I had nothing to say. The doctors were saying that he would not survive. I was wondering how this could happen. Two years later, he underwent 74 surgeries and completed Tipu Sultan. After that, he took me to Bangalore, where he had bought a piece of land.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Zayed Khan recalls father Sanjay Khan's near-fatal fire accident on Tipu Sultan set: 'His skin was literally melting into the sheets'
In 1989, a fire on The Sword of Tipu Sultan set left Sanjay Khan with over 65% burns and 74 surgeries. His son, Zayed Khan, recalls the trauma and his father's resilience. Sanjay completed the film and rebuilt his life, inspiring Zayed, who now prepares for his OTT comeback. Actor-filmmaker Sanjay Khan's life changed forever in 1989 when a massive fire broke out on the sets of The Sword of Tipu Sultan at Premier Studios in Mysore. The tragic incident, sparked by faulty firefighting systems and neglected safety protocols, claimed 52 lives and left Sanjay Khan with over 65% third-degree burns. The veteran star endured a harrowing recovery, undergoing 74 surgeries over the following years. In a heartfelt interview with Siddharth Kannan, Sanjay's son, actor Zayed Khan , opened up about witnessing the trauma as a child and the resilience his father displayed in its aftermath. 'I didn't recognise him at first' 'It was very tough because I was only 11 years old,' Zayed recalled. 'I remember when he was finally brought to the hospital after a month—I was dying to see him. My mother said, 'Go say hi.' There were two beds in the ICU, both with burn victims. I passed the first bed thinking he was in the second, and suddenly, from behind, a hand raised and called out, 'Zayed.'' What followed was a moment etched in Zayed's memory forever. 'At first, I didn't recognize him. His head was swollen like a football, his skin literally melting into the sheets. He hadn't even seen himself in the mirror yet. He held my hand and asked, 'Zayed, are you scared?' I couldn't say a word. Then he said something impossible in that moment—'Before you know it, I'll build a better hospital than this so that people like me don't have to come here… and you don't have to see me like this. I'll make Tipu Sultan again, and we'll have a great time together, my son.'' Zayed said that while the doctors had given up hope, his father's inner strength defied all odds. 'He was made of steel—his soul and heart were something else entirely.' A triumphant return after 74 surgeries Two years later, Sanjay Khan proved the doubters wrong. 'He got back on a horse after undergoing 74 surgeries,' Zayed revealed. 'He completed Tipu Sultan, and then took me to Bangalore. He bought land there, handed me the first brick—the foundation brick—and asked me to name it. I named it Golden Palms. And later, he built a hotel there.' On the work front, Zayed Khan is currently gearing up for a comeback with the OTT film The Film That Never Was.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Zayed Khan recalls working with the 'really gorgeous' Aishwarya Rai in Shabd: ' I used to have a picture of her in my locker room'
recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane as he opened up about working with in the 2005 film Shabd. The actor revealed his long-time admiration for the former Miss World and how sharing screen space with her was a dream come true. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From being starstruck to cherishing their on-screen chemistry, Zayed's reflections offered a heartfelt look into one of his most cherished professional experiences. Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Zayed reflected on his career choices, admitting he was drawn to unconventional roles, which often led him to films that were ahead of their time. Citing Shabd as an example, he described it as a powerful slice-of-life story that didn't resonate widely upon release but now leaves viewers saying, 'Oh my God, that's scary.' The actor opened up about working with Aishwarya Rai in Shabd, calling it a dream come true. He revealed he had been a fan since her Miss World days, even keeping her photo in his locker. 'She was such a professional and beautiful lady,' he said, adding that sharing screen space with her was a truly special experience. He fondly recalled working with Aishwarya Rai in Shabd, describing her as graceful, professional, and easy to work with. Having admired her since her Miss World win, he admitted to being starstruck initially but appreciated how effortlessly she helped him feel comfortable on set, making the experience truly memorable. Shabd, directed by Leena Yadav and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, featured , Aishwarya Rai, and Zayed Khan in lead roles. The film followed a reclusive writer who draws inspiration from his wife's real-life interactions with another man for his novel, leading to a blurred line between fiction and reality. While the film was lauded for its unconventional narrative and strong performances—particularly Aishwarya's nuanced act—it struggled to find commercial success at the box office.
