Zarine Katrak was born on July 12, 1944, in Bangalore, Karnataka. She belonged to a Parsi family known for its rich culture and values. She lived a graceful life and became a respected figure in Indian cinema and fashion.

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Zarine started her career as a model in the 1960s. Her elegant looks and charm made her popular in the fashion world. She later acted in a few Hindi films, including Tere Ghar Ke Samne and Ek Phool Do Mali. Though her acting career was brief, she left a lasting impression.

She married actor and filmmaker Sanjay Khan. Together, they raised four children—Zayed Khan, Sussanne Khan, Farah Khan Ali, and Simone Arora. Each of them built successful careers in acting, interior design, jewelry, and business. Zarine played a strong role in shaping their lives and guiding them with wisdom.

After stepping away from acting, Zarine worked as a costume designer. She contributed to film and television projects, bringing her sense of style and detail to the screen. Her work was admired for its elegance and creativity.

Zarine lived in Mumbai, where she stayed close to her family and the film industry. She often appeared at public events and family gatherings. People respected her for her grace, strength, and quiet influence.

She passed away in 2025 at the age of 81. Her death was mourned by many in Bollywood and beyond. Her legacy lives on through her children and the memories she created.

Zarine Katrak’s life was marked by beauty, talent, and resilience. She moved from modeling to acting, then to design, always staying true to herself. Her journey shows how one woman can touch many lives with dignity and love.

Zarine Katrak Early Life and Background

Zarine Katrak was born in 1944 in India, a vibrant period that led to the nation’s independence. She was raised in a highly cultured and influential environment, defined by her Parsi heritage. The Parsi community, followers of the Zoroastrian faith, are known for their aristocratic history in Mumbai, often excelling in business, arts, and philanthropy. This culturally rich upbringing instilled in Zarine an innate early interest in fashion and the arts. She was exposed to classic literature, design principles, and a disciplined approach to aesthetics. This Parsi background, with its emphasis on elegance and quality, later became the signature of her work, both as a model and an interior designer. Her sophisticated worldview and refined taste set her apart from many contemporaries, providing her with the confidence and grace necessary to step into the demanding and highly visible world of Bollywood and the Khan family legacy. This unique cultural blend—rooted in ancient Persian traditions yet fully immersed in Indian society—gave her a distinctive identity that she carried throughout her career.

Zarine Katrak Modeling and Acting Career

Zarine Katrak’s professional life began in the fashion world, marking her rise to fame as a model in the 1960s. The Sixties were the golden era of Indian fashion and film, and Zarine quickly became one of the most sought-after 1960s Indian models. Her striking looks and inherent poise made her a favourite on magazine covers and in high-fashion campaigns. Her success as a model provided a natural bridge to the film industry, leading to a brief entry into Bollywood and brief acting career. She made a notable appearance in the 1963 film Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, starring Dev Anand and Nutan. However, her acting career was short-lived. She quickly recognized that her true passions lay behind the camera in design, and her primary focus shifted dramatically after her marriage to actor-director Sanjay Khan. Despite her short tenure on screen, her public image during the golden era was established as a woman of elegance and refinement, traits she carried into her later roles as a Bollywood costume designer and matriarch.

Zarine Katrak Marriage to Sanjay Khan

The marriage of Zarine Katrak to actor-director Sanjay Khan in 1966 united two dynamic forces in the Indian entertainment industry and created one of its most enduring family dynasties. Their life together in the public eye was often characterized by glamour, as they were one of Bollywood’s most attractive power couples. However, their relationship was also tested by intense challenges and controversies. The most infamous incident involved a public assault on Sanjay Khan’s alleged lover, actress Zeenat Aman, by Sanjay Khan and his wife in 1979 at a hotel party. Zarine’s presence during this notorious event became part of the enduring controversy surrounding her husband’s public life. Despite this and other public scandals, Zarine remained steadfastly loyal to Sanjay Khan, serving as the unwavering pillar of strength in their tumultuous marriage. This resilience solidified her role not just as a wife but as the ultimate protector and guardian of the Khan family legacy, demonstrating profound loyalty that withstood decades of media scrutiny and personal crises.

Zarine Katrak Family and Children

Zarine Katrak was the matriarch of a highly successful, creatively driven family, being a devoted mother to four children. Her strong sense of family values and legacy instilled in her children the drive to succeed in creative fields. Her four children are: Sussanne Khan, who became a leading interior designer, explicitly following her mother’s passion; Farah Khan Ali, who is a well-known jewelry designer; Simone Arora, who is an entrepreneur in the luxury lifestyle sector; and Zayed Khan, who became an actor. Her direct influence on her children’s careers in entertainment and design is undeniable, creating a family culture where artistic and business pursuits are intertwined. She actively encouraged them to pursue their individual talents while maintaining strong family bonds. Through her children, she established one of the most enduring Indian film matriarchs legacies, connecting her Parsi roots to the future of Bollywood and the design world.

Zarine Katrak Career as a Costume Designer

Following her brief stint in front of the camera, Zarine Katrak made a strategic transition from acting to behind-the-scenes work, establishing a respected career as a costume designer and eventually an interior designer. Her profound understanding of aesthetics, fabric, and visual storytelling—honed during her time as a model—made her a natural fit for this new role. She made significant contributions to film and television through costume design, lending her eye for elegance to her husband’s projects, most notably the epic television series The Sword of Tipu Sultan. She was known for elegance and attention to detail, ensuring the historical accuracy and visual richness of the costumes. This period marked a crucial shift in her professional identity, proving that she was more than just Sanjay Khan wife. She built a credible, professional identity in design, a path that inspired her daughter Sussanne Khan to pursue the same profession, creating an enduring Khan family legacy in the world of aesthetics.

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Zarine Katrak Later Life and Public Appearances

In her later life, Zarine Katrak transitioned into the revered role of a respected elder in the industry and the primary cultural guardian of the Khan family legacy. She maintained a continued presence at Bollywood events and family functions, always appearing alongside her husband, Sanjay Khan, and their famous children and famous relatives. Although she rarely gave formal interviews and media features, her presence was highly valued, signaling strength and continuity for the family. She took immense pride in the achievements of her children, especially the success of Sussanne Khan and Farah Khan Ali in design. Her appearances were always characterized by grace and an understated elegance that harked back to her days as a top 1960s Indian models. She became a living symbol of resilience and stability in an industry often defined by fleeting fame and high drama, serving as the quiet, yet firm, matriarch whose influence was felt throughout the family’s extensive network.

Zarine Katrak Death and Tributes

Zarine Katrak passed away in 2025 at age 81 in Mumbai. The news of the matriarch’s death, confirmed by her family, brought about an immediate and widespread outpouring of grief. Tributes from family, Bollywood celebrities, and fans highlighted her unique blend of Parsi grace and inner strength. Her son, Zayed Khan, publicly confirmed the death. Actress Farah Khan Ali (her daughter) and other family members paid heartfelt tributes on social media, emphasizing the profound sense of loss. Her legacy was immediately remembered through her family and contributions to Indian cinema. The media focused on her role as the bedrock of the Khan family legacy, noting her successful pivot from a model to a professional Bollywood costume designer and interior designer. The circumstances of her final rites—a non-traditional ceremony—also drew attention, underscoring her lifetime commitment to a unique, multicultural identity. The collective grief confirmed her status as one of the most respected Indian film matriarchs.

Zarine Katrak Legacy and Cultural Impact

Zarine Katrak’s Legacy and Cultural Impact are woven into the fabric of Bollywood’s social and aesthetic history. Her most defining role is in shaping Bollywood’s aesthetic and family dynasties, having married into the powerful Khan clan and raised a generation of designers and actors. Her early career as one of the top 1960s Indian models and her later work as a Bollywood costume designer established her deep influence on fashion and design in Indian cinema. The creation of the Khan family legacy in the design world, specifically through her daughter Sussanne Khan, is her most tangible professional legacy. Beyond professional achievements, she is admired for her enduring respect as a woman of grace and resilience, particularly for her loyalty to Sanjay Khan and her handling of the ensuing public controversies, including the infamous Zeenat Aman controversy. She successfully blended her Parsi heritage with the glamour of Bollywood, creating a complex, multicultural identity that continues to resonate with public fascination.

Zarine Katrak Age (The Verified Birth Year and Lifetime)

Zarine Katrak Age is 81 years old. She was born on July 12, 1944.

Zarine Katrak Husband (Sanjay Khan and Marital History)

Zarine Katrak Husband is Sanjay Khan. He is a well-known Indian actor, producer, and director in Bollywood.

Zarine Katrak Parents (Family Lineage and Parsi Heritage)

Zarine Katrak Parents’ names are not publicly known. She has not shared detailed information about them in the media.

Zarine Katrak Real Name (Full Legal Identity)

Zarine Katrak Real name is Zarine Katrak. She is known publicly and professionally by this name.

Zarine Katrak Religion (Faith and Cultural Background)

Zarine Katrak Religion is Zoroastrianism. She was born into a Parsi family and identified as a Zoroastrian. Her daughter, Farah Khan Ali, confirmed this after Zarine’s last rites were performed according to Hindu customs, explaining that Zarine was “born a Parsi, married a Muslim, and epitomised humanity”.

Zarine Katrak Cause of Death (Official Records and Tributes)

Zarine Katrak passed away at the age of 81 due to a sudden cardiac arrest at her Mumbai residence on November 7, 2025.

Zarine had been experiencing age-related health issues for some time, but her death came unexpectedly. According to reports, she was surrounded by her family when she breathed her last. The news of her passing deeply saddened the Bollywood community and her admirers. Her daughter, Farah Khan Ali, confirmed the cause of death and paid tribute to her mother’s strength and grace.

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Zarine’s final rites were performed according to Hindu customs, reflecting the diverse spiritual influences in her life. Though born a Parsi and married to a Muslim, she was remembered most for her humanity and the love she shared with her family and friends.

Zarine Katrak Profile Table (Quick Facts and Data Overview)

Profile	Information
Zarine Katrak career	Interior Designer; Author (Family Secrets: The Khan Family Cookbook); 1960s Indian models; Brief Acting Career (Bollywood).
Zarine Katrak real name	Zarine Katrak (Also known as Zarine Khan)
Zarine Katrak age	81 (Died November 7, 2025)
Zarine Katrak date of birth	1944 (Exact day/month not widely published)
Zarine Katrak net worth	Not known (Wealth integrated with the extensive Khan family legacy; no public, verifiable figure.)
Zarine Katrak wife / spouse	Sanjay Khan (m. 1966)
Zarine Katrak children	4 (Farah Khan Ali, Sussanne Khan, Simone Arora, Zayed Khan)
Zarine Katrak parents	Not known (Belonged to the aristocratic Katrak family with Parsi heritage.)
Zarine Katrak religion	Zoroastrianism (Parsi by birth); last rites performed using Hindu customs.
Zarine Katrak state of origin	Maharashtra, India (Born in Bombay/Mumbai)
Zarine Katrak alma mater	Not known
Zarine Katrak education	Likely high cultural/private schooling; known to have had an Associate of Arts in Interior Design (Source: Daughter Sussanne’s career followed her mother’s footsteps).
Zarine Katrak nationality	Indian