Bollywood Flashback: When a Much Married Feroz Khan Lost His Heart to Jyotika!
February 14, 2022Whenever we think of retro Hindi films with foot-tapping music, bikini-clad heroines, stylish heroes, and fast car chases we instantly remember Feroz Khan. The flamboyant Khan’s movies used to have a high tint of Western culture and style. Be it the exotic international locations or car racing scenes in ‘Apradh’(1972), the Indian version of ‘The Godfather’(1972) in ‘Dharmatma’(1975) (shot in Afghanistan), the very stylish ‘Qurbani’(1980) or the whole cowboy setup in ‘Jaanbaaz’(1986), this Khan was always ahead of his times. Feroz Khan was in the gossip columns for several reasons but one of the very controversial ones was the extra martial affair and a live-in relationship with Jyotika.
Right from his bachelorhood days Feroz Khan was branded as a womanizer. Things changed when this casanova met Sundari. It was love at first sight for these two and after a while Feroz and Sundari became the talk of the town. After dating for around five years, they decided to get married in the year 1965. After a few years of marriage, they were blessed with a daughter Laila and son, Fardeen. As time passed, Feroz got busy with his work and Sundari got busy with home and the kids. Like in most marriages, the romance took a back when Feroz strayed.
Feroz met a very attractive air hostess, Jyotika Dhanrajgir from the famous Dhanrajgir family and fell madly in love with her. When Sundari got wind of this affair, she decided to end their marriage. Feroz however, surprised everyone when he moved to Bangalore with Jyotika and began a live-in relationship with her. Feroz and Jyotika tryst with love continued for more than a decade. While Jyotika pressed Feroz to marry her, the handsome star was not too keen to take the plunge. Finally, Jyotika decided to move out of this relationship as she was fed up of Feroz’s fake assurances. In a shocking interview, Feroz denied even knowing Jyotika. This interview shattered Jyotika’s dreams and she left him for good and settled in London.
Feroz was heartbroken when Jyotika left him. Sundari on the other hand, started her own business and was doing well for herself. Feroz was always a friend to her and a dear father to his children. Sundari’s new found confidence and independence helped in developing a mature friendship between her and Feroz. Feroz began bonding more with his family. He also realized that Sundari was the only woman who really understood him. Gradually, Feroz came back to Sundari and his estranged kids but the relationship with was never quite the same again, quite understandably. He lived separately under the same roof and started focusing on his work.
The style icon breathed his last on April 27, 2009 in his Bangalore home.
Fun Facts –
Sundari had a daughter named Sonia from her previous relationship. Feroz and Sundari decided to keep this as a secret from the media at the time of their marriage. Later Sonia used to work as the continuity in-charge in many of Feroz’ films like ‘Qurbani’ (1980). She used be credited on screen as Sony Shahani. Sonia got married to the world famous business man, Rajendra Sethia.
Feroz and Sundari’s daughter Laila Khan was born in 1970 & son Fardeen Khan was born in 1974.
Feroz was very fond of Mumu (Mumtaaz). They shared a great rapport on the sets and were friends. Later, Feroz’s son Fardeen got married to Mumtaaz’s daughter Natasha Madhwani.
Daughter Laila Khan got married to Farhan Furniturewala. Farhan is the former husband of Pooja Bedi.
Jyotika’s sister Sabrina Dhanrajgir, was the costume designer in Feroz Khan directed film Yalgaar (1992).
