Zarine Khan, Bollywood Matriarch, Dies at 81

Zarine Khan, the veteran actress, model, and matriarch of one of Bollywood's prominent families, passed away on November 7 at her residence in Mumbai. She was 81 and had been battling age-related health issues, including a cardiac arrest that led to her death.

Khan, born Zarine Katrak into a Parsi family, leaves behind her husband of nearly six decades, actor and filmmaker Sanjay Khan, and their four children: Sussanne Khan, an interior designer; Zayed Khan, an actor; Farah Ali Khan; and Simone Arora. The family gathered for her funeral later that day at Juhu Crematorium in Mumbai, where her last rites were performed according to Hindu traditions. Her son Zayed Khan, visibly emotional and tearful, carried out the final rituals under the guidance of a priest, as family members including Sussanne supported the procession.

The choice of Hindu rites drew some online curiosity, given Khan's diverse cultural background. As her daughter Farah Ali Khan noted in a heartfelt Instagram tribute, her mother "born a Parsi, married a Muslim, and cremated according to Hindu rites... epitomised humanity." Farah described Khan as the emotional anchor of the family, emphasizing her philosophy of...