Feroz Khan (born as Zulfiqar Ali Shah Khan; 25 September 1935 — 27 April 2009) was an Indian actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, best known for his work in Indian cinema. He appeared in over 60 films throughout his career and became one of Bollywood's popular style icons. Feroz Khan rose to prominence with Phani Majumdar's drama film Oonche Log (1965), and starred in successful Hindi films, such as Arzoo (1965), Aag (1967), Safar (1970), Mela (1971), Apradh (1972), Geeta Mera Naam (1974), Khotte Sikkay (1974), Kaala Sona (1975), Dharmatma (1975), Nagin (1976), Shankar Shambhu (1976) and Qurbani (1980). The 2007 superhit Welcome (2007), was his final film.
He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) in 1970, and was honored with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He has been called "Clint Eastwood of India".
Feroz Khan was born on 25 September 1935 in Bangalore, India, to Sadiq Ali Khan, an Afghan from Ghazni, Afghanistan, and Fatima, who had Persian ancestry from Iran. His mother's family dealt in horse breeding. Khan was educated at Bishop Cotton Boys' School and St. Germain High School, Bangalore. Describing himself as a "rebel", he was kicked out from three schools, and never went to college, despite clearing his Senior Cambridge examinations, as he moved to Bombay (now Mumbai) to pursue a film career.
His younger brothers are Shah Abbas Khan (Sanjay Khan), Shahrukh Shah Ali Khan, Sameer Khan and Akbar Khan. Except Shahrukh, all brothers were associated with the entertainment industry. His younger sisters are Khurshid Shahnavar and Dilshad Begum Sheikh, popularly known as Dilshad Bibi.
1960s: Early work and breakthrough
Khan made his debut as the second lead in Didi (1960).
Through the early 1960s and 1970s, he made low-budget thrillers opposite starlets. In 1962, he appeared in an English-language film titled Tarzan Goes to India opposite Simi Garewal.
His first big hit was in 1965, with Phani Majumdar's Oonche Log (1965), where he was pitted against screen idols Raaj Kumar and Ashok Kumar; he gave a notable sensitive performance. It was followed by more small budget hit films like Samson, Ek Sapera Ek Lootera and Char Darvesh. Again, in the same year, he played a sacrificing lover in the mushy musical Arzoo, starring Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana. With this, Khan started to receive A-list second lead roles.
With the film Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Khan won his first Filmfare award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His other hit films were Pyasi Sham (1969), Safar (1970), Khotey Sikkay (1974), Geeta Mera Naam (1974), Kaala Sona (1975) and Shankar Shambhu (1976).
He appeared alongside his younger brother Sanjay Khan in the hit films Upaasna (1971), Mela (1971) and Nagin (1976).
1970s-1980s: Directorial and production success
He became a successful producer and director in 1971 so as to improve his career opportunities as a leading man with his first directorial film Apradh, which was the first Indian movie showing auto racing in Germany; Mumtaaz was his co-star.
He produced, directed and starred in the 1975 film Dharmatma, which was the first Indian film to be shot in Afghanistan and was also his first blockbuster hit as producer, director and star and marked the appearance of actress Hema Malini in a glamorous avatar. This movie was inspired by the Hollywood film The Godfather.
He also starred in the Punjabi film Bhagat Dhanna Jat (1974).
In 1980, he produced, directed and starred in Qurbani, alongside Vinod Khanna and Zeenat Aman, which was the biggest hit of his career and launched the singing career of iconic Pakistani pop singer Nazia Hassan, with her memorable track "Aap Jaisa Koi".
In 1986, he directed and starred in Janbaaz, a box office hit, which some consider to be one of his best movies, featuring an all-star cast with great songs and excellent cinematography.
In 1988, he directed and starred in Dayavan, which was a remake of the Indian Tamil film titled Nayakan.
1990s to 2000s: Hiatus and final projects