Zayed Khan opened up about his career downfall, attributing it to the multi-starrers that hampered his progress.

Shah Rukh Khan and Zayed Khan in a still from Main Hoon Na.

Zayed Khan made his Bollywood debut in Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne alongside Esha Deol, but he rose to fame after starring in Farah Khan’s much-loved film Main Hoon Na (2004), featuring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role. Following the success of Main Hoon Na, Zayed appeared in various multi-starrers like Blue, Fight Club, Dus and more. However, these commercial films didn’t boost his career.

In a recent interaction, Zayed opened up about his career downfall, attributing it to the multi-starrers that hampered his progress. Speaking to Zoom, he said, “I took my stardom for granted and didn’t listen to a lot of people who advised me to do single-hero films. Once you are absorbed by a market, you have to show them that you are able to hold a film on your shoulders. It’s a big responsibility. I wanted to work in big films. I wasn’t bred to do artistic films. I was so much into the action genre that big-ticket action films always got the better of me.”

Talking further about how multi-starrers hampered his career, the actor said, “When many actors come together, budgets are justified to make them. Probably I went into that too soon. I should have built my brand before going for big-ticket films. I guess I regret that. Some of them didn’t just hit the golden goose. I mean, who won’t sign a film like ‘Blue.’”

Zayed Khan also admitted that his father, veteran actor Sanjay Khan, didn’t agree with his film choices. “He was very miffed with me. We used to have a lot of arguments about that. He had his reservations,” he said. The actor also accepted that since he was young, he thought he “knew it all.”

Further in the conversation, Zayed revealed that he stayed away from films and took a back seat because he was being offered ‘second fiddle’ roles, which he didn’t want to take up. He said, “Offers still haven’t dried up. You have to pick and choose the right thing. Sometimes, when you are at the ebb of your career, that doesn’t mean you take up BS.” He added, “Offers started coming in where they wanted to make me a second fiddle or a supervillain, and I wasn’t ready to do those kinds of roles.”