Actor Sajid Khan, known for Mother India and Maya, passes away

Actor Sajid Khan, renowned for portraying the younger Birju in Mehboob Khan's Mother India and later gaining international recognition in films like Maya and The Singing Filipina, has passed away after a battle with cancer. Khan, in his early 70s, had been grappling with cancer for an extended period, as confirmed by his son Sameer to PTI.

Sameer shared that his father had settled in Kerala with his second wife, expressing, “My father was adopted by Rajkumar Pitamber Rana and Sunita Pitamber and fostered by filmmaker Mehboob Khan. He was not active in films for a while and was mostly involved in philanthropy. He used to come to Kerala quite often and he liked it here, remarried, and settled here.” Following his role in Mother India, which received an 

Oscar nomination, Sajid Khan took on the titular role in Mehboob Khan's Son of India.

Khan achieved global stardom as a teen idol in Maya, portraying the local boy Raji alongside Jay North. The film's success led to a series of the same name, solidifying Khan's popularity. He also appeared in an episode of the American TV show The Big Valley and served as a guest judge on the music show It's Happening.

The actor gained fame in the Philippines, starring in movies like The Singing Filipina, My Funny Girl, and The Prince and I alongside Nora Aunor. Additionally, Sajid Khan played the role of a dacoit chief in the Merchant-Ivory production of Heat and Dust.

मदर इंडिया और माया के लिए मशहूर अभिनेता साजिद खान का निधन हो गया |