This Actress, Who Worked With Manoj Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Was Shot Dead By Her Husband

Actress Sayeeda Khan, who worked alongside superstars like Manoj Kumar and Kishore Kumar, was shot dead by her husband on her son's birthday.

On October 21, 1990, Sayeeda Khan and her daughter was shot dead by her husand and film producer Brij Sadanah. ( Image Source :Instagram/@cinemaazi )

Bollywood actors, who often portray dramatic roles with unexpected twists on screen, sometimes experience equally dramatic and tragic events in real life. Actress Sayeeda Khan, who worked alongside superstars like Manoj Kumar and Kishore Kumar, is one such actor who faced a chilling and tragic demise, that seems similar to any movie plot. On her son's birthday, she was shot dead by her husband.

A promising start in Bollywood 

Sayeeda Khan was born on October 24, 1949, into a Muslim family. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an actress. Her passion led her to the film industry, where she eventually met filmmaker HH Rawail, who helped launch her career. Sayeeda made her mark in films like 'Apna Haath Jagannath' with Kishore Kumar and 'Kaanch Ki Gudiya' with Manoj Kumar. Her career took off, and she worked with other notable actors. 

Career setback

However, over time, opportunities dwindled, and Sayeeda found herself working in B-grade and C-grade films. During this period, she fell in love with director-producer Brij Sadanah. The couple married and had two children, a daughter named Namrata and a son named Kamal Sadanah, who also acted in a few Bollywood films.  

The Dark Day: October 21, 1990 

On October 21, 1990, Sayeeda was preparing for her son Kamal's 20th birthday. In a horrific turn of events, Kamal's father, in a drunken rage, shot and killed Sayeeda and their daughter Namrata and also shot his son Kamal. After committing the murders, he took his own life. 

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Kamal Sadanah recounted the traumatic day, “I was also shot, I had a bullet go through one side of my neck and come out on the other side of my neck and I have survived it. There’s no logical reason for me to survive. It’s almost as if the bullet dodged every nerve and came out on the other side. There’s a reason why I survived it. Let me move ahead and let me find that reason, let me live well,” he said in the interview.  

What happened that day 

Kamal recalled taking his mother and sister to the hospital, unaware that he had been shot. When doctors questioned the blood on his shirt, he initially thought it belonged to his mother or sister. Only later did he realise he had also been shot. He underwent surgery to treat his injuries and returned home to the heartbreaking sight of his deceased family members.  

“I carried my mother and my sister to the hospital while they were bleeding and at that time I didn’t realise that I was also shot. The hospital didn’t have enough beds so my friend took me to another hospital. I just told the doctor that you keep my mother and sister alive. I was also trying to check on my father. When I woke up after surgery, they took me home and I saw my whole family lying down dead in front of my eyes,” Kamal said.