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. 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.

One saw a heartbroken Zayed Khan leading the final rites with a kalash in his hand, under the guidance of a pandit while Zarine’s grand children carried her mortal remains. Here’s why Zarine had a Hindu funeral. For those unaware, Zarine Khan was born a Hindu and was originally named Zarine Katrak. Even after her marriage to Sanjay Khan, she never converted to Islam, which explains why her last rites were conducted following Hindu rituals rather than her husband’s Muslim faith. Thus, Zayed fulfilled her last wish and ensured that his mother had a ‘dah-sanskar’ as the Hindu traditions.

Zarine first met Sanjay when she was just 14 years old, through his mother, Bibi Fatima Begum Khan. The two began dating in 1966 and eventually tied the knot. 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.