Actor Zayed Khan says that when his parents Sanjay and Zarine Khan watched his heart-in-the-mouth motorcycle stunts in recently released Blue, they threw a fit.

“When I saw their reaction, I had to do some quick thinking or else my parents would freak out and probably order me to give up movies. My helmet, which covered my face through most of the mo’bike racing scenes, saved me. I told them it was a body-double doing those stunts,” Zayed told IANS.

But the fact is Zayed did most of the action scenes.

“I had accepted the role only so I could do these stunts. Except when my bike jumps on to a train, all the other stunts are mine. And that train stunt I didn’t do because my action director said he wanted me to be alive to complete the film,” he said.

Released Friday, the underwater thriller is directed by Anthony D’Souza and also stars Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar.

Ever since Sanjay’s near-fatal fire accident in 1989 in Mysore during the shooting of the serial The Sword Of Tipu Sultan, Sanjay and Zarine are paranoid about shooting mishaps. Sanjay suffered extensive burns and almost lost his life.

When their only son Zayed decided to become a movie actor, their first and only pre-condition was, no dangerous stunts.

“It was almost like a holy diktat, not to perform anything that would be potentially harmful to me,” said Zayed.

Until Blue, where on the script level itself Zayed could see that his two lengthy bike chase sequences on the Ducati 999 were potentially more lethal than anything the average action hero performs.

“I had two options – either say no to the most exciting role I had been offered so far. Or hide the truth from my parents,” he said.

Zayed chose the latter option. And went on to do the stunts with his heart in his mouth. “Not because I was scared, but what would my parents think and say when they saw what I had done.”

Zayed hopes his parents accept the truth. “If you are an actor, you gotta do it all. One can be wounded even while standing under a roof. Jo hona hoga woh hoga (whatever has to happen, will happen),” he said.

A source says, “Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Dutt were accompanied by their respective wives, Twinkle and Manyata. Lara Dutta was missing while Zayed Khan came sans wife Mallika. Anthony D’Souza came with actress Sonal Chauhan who is his close friend and will star in his next film starring John Abraham and Akshay.”

“Zayed won approximately Rs 6- 8 lakh. Akshay too won a huge amount of money but it was nothing close to Zayed’s amount. Akshay and Anthony were talking about the sequel to Blue and were overheard naming it True Blue,” adds the source.

Confirming the news, director Anthony says, “I don’t play cards but I dropped in at the party for a few minutes to wish everyone.”

When we quizzed Zayed about winning the whopping amount he laughed and said, “Well, we all did have a great Diwali, playing cards. It was Akshay once again who took away the treasure like he did in Blue. I just won some portion of it.”

Did he share the winning amount with his wife? He said, “It is all hers. I don’t ever keep it with me. I just carry 300 bucks in my wallet and I am happy with that.”

Hrithik Roshan has delivered hits for father Rakesh Roshan’s home productions, now it’s time to strike gold for father-in-law Sanjay Khan at the box office. According to an industry source Sanjay Khan, who directed and acted in the popular tele-series ‘The Sword of Tipu Sultan’, is gearing up to direct and produce his next, a film tentatively titled ‘Welcome to Jungle’.

If things go according to plan, son-in-law Hrithik Roshan and beta Zayed Khan will come together to play the lead roles in the film. Khan has been contemplating on this project since a long time. Talks have it that Sanjay will leave no stone unturned as far as this magnanimous project is concerned. “It’s going to have a huge budget,” we are told.

When we called Zayed Khan to confirm the news, he said, “Yes, my father is planning a movie, but it’s too early to talk about it as he is yet to sign the actors.” It can be recalled that before ‘The Sword of Tipu Sultan’, Sanjay tried his hands at direction with films like ‘Kala Dhanda Goray Log’, ‘Abdullah’ and ‘Chandi Sona’. Now, let’s hope the multi-crore project, ‘Welcome to Jungle’ starring Hrithik and Zayed is one ‘roaring’ success.

Zayed Khan had a massive crush on someone special while working in Blue. Well, don’t let your imagination run wild. The object of Zayed’s affection was Ducati, popularly known as the Ferrari on two wheels. So impressed was Zayed with the bike’s sophisticated machinery and neat body that he decided to keep it for himself.

“For Zayed, bikes are his passion; but he had not encountered a ride so smooth. It was the Ducati that gave him that pleasure,” said a source from the sets. Zayed coughed up a hefty sum and kept the Ducati bike for himself after the shoot.

“It is his proud possession today,”

When Zayed Khan was approached by director Anthony D’Souza for Blue, he was in for a surprise.

In response to his first question that what his character would be like, Anthony asked him to just be himself. “He said you have to be yourself,” says Zayed.

“And when I asked what he meant by that, he said ‘be your usual brash, cocky and arrogant self’. I was like wow I have got quite an image!” Zayed says he liked the script and took up the project. “I guess the main attraction for me was all the stunts and I just love water. He (Anthony) must have thought why get someone else who would need training,” Zayed adds.

Actor Zayed Khan is annoyed with the director of his forthcoming film, ‘Blue’. The actor was earlier informed that he will be having a solo song in the film ‘Blue’ but later he learned that song has turned into a group song. The film is directed by Tony D’Souza.

The song features Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta, Katrina Kaif along with Zayed Khan.

Zayed Khan said, “I’m learning my lessons the hard way. In this industry it’s always the big fish eating up the little fish (an apt description considering our film ‘Blue’ is an underwater sea adventure). Fine. Hopefully, one day I’ll get there.”

The actor added, “But when I do I can assure I won’t behave the same way. But no more being taken for granted. I can’t afford it.”

The actor admitted that he, earlier, had planned to walk out of the song but later decided that he should act in a professional way. “I was thinking of not participating in the shooting. If I am not considered important enough, no point in hanging around. But then I decided to be professional about this. I’m flying from Delhi to Mumbai for the song,” he said.

Meanwhile, director Tony D’Souza claimed that Zayed is an important part of the movie.

“Yes, we’re shooting a song with the entire cast next week. I’d really like Zayed to be part of it. Because he’s a very important and pivotal part of ‘Blue’. This film will take him to another level,” D’Souza said.

Zayed Khan and Kylie Minogue have made it a point to keep in touch even after completing the shooting of Blue. But we before you come to any conclusion we need to clarify that it’s strictly friendship here.

“Zayed and Kylie got a long like a house on fire. The two shared an excellent rapport and those who have seen the rushes of the film say that their chemistry is pretty visible on the screen too.” Zayed gifted Kylie a designer sari on the last day of the shoot.

The gift took Kylie by surprise more so because it was a sari. She wondered how did Zayed know the size that’d befit her. Kylie later even asked Zayed about it. Zayed told her, “It was just that I kept my wife’s size in mind. Kylie was touched by Zayed’s gesture,”

It was a promise made to the promising young actor from the start. But then nothing in Bollywood sells like success. Zayed Khan was supposed to sing and dance to a solo number in Tony D’Souza’s Blue. He waited patiently. It was meant to be the last number to be shot, post-dubbing because of the delay in recording the song.

But now that the number Fiqrana has found a replacement singer in Vijay Prakash instead of Farhan Akhar, Zayed shooting in Delhi for Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene is shocked to be informed that it’s no longer his song. That in fact the number to be filmed from September 15 till September 19 at the Mukesh Mills will now be filmed on the entire cast Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta and Katrina Kaif and of course Zayed.

Hurt and incensed, Zayed is no longer interested in participating in what was meant to be his song.

Speaking guardedly from Delhi Zayed said, “I’m learning my lessons the hard way. In this industry it’s always the big fish eating up the little fish (an apt description considering our film Blue is an underwater sea adventure). Fine. Hopefully one day I’ll get there. But when I do I can assure I won’t behave the same way. But no more being taken for granted. I can’t afford it.”

Beyond this Zayed refuses to comment on how a song sung in one voice will now be shot on the entire cast. As for not participating in the number he says, “I was thinking of not participating in the shooting. If I am not considered important enough no point in hanging around. But then I decided to be professional about this. I’m flying from Delhi to Mumbai for the song.”

Zayed however absolves the Blue director of all blame. Too new to protest or to stand up for an actor who is not doing well enough commercially to be seen to warrant a whole song to himself, Tony D’Souza says, “Yes we’re shooting a song with the entire cast next week. I’d really like Zayed to be part of it. Because he’s a very important and pivotal part of Blue. This film will take him to another level.”

Just a couple of months ago Zayed Khan made statements on how he is turning over a new leaf. The actor said fatherhood had sobered him down. However, news has it that while shooting for one of his recent films, Zeekay (as his nocturnal friends know him) has been partying hard.

So much so, that on one occasion Zayed who was reportedly in high spirits handed over his wallet to the hotel staff; and asked the surprised waiter to take out a wad of notes from his own wallet to settle the bill.

Not only that, the actor is said to have tipped the waiter very handsomely too. And to think, one actually believed this party animal had lost his spots!

Veteran actor Sanjay Khan has some surprise stacked for his actor son Zayed Khan in the coming time. The doting father who’s worried about Zayed’s career has taken the reigns in his own hands now.

The veteran actor and filmmaker is planning to make a mega budget film for his son and the grand plan has already been put to practice. Reports are that Sanjay Khan wants this film to launch Zayed in the premier league of Bollywood. The fact that Zayed has not got his due place in B-Town has become a cause of worry for Sanjay Khan.

Speaking about his new ambitious venture, Sanjay Khan says, ”I have been thinking about directing Zayed Khan for a long time now and by God’s grace the plan is in practice. The film, which is yet in its initial stages, will go on the floors early next year. Though Zayed will play the male lead, I’m yet to shortlist an actress opposite him in the film.”

Though Zayed’s upcoming film BLUE will present him in a new light, but his act is overshadowed by biggies like Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar who also feature in the film.

With Sanjay Khan taking charge of his son’s career, we hope the new game plan to salvage Zayed’s career produces the desired results.