Kamal Sadanah made his debut in films at the age of 21 alongside Kajol, who was herself doing her first film. While the film was a success and it helped Kamal make a career in Bollywood, his road to films was full of struggles and that too, unexpected ones. On his 20th birthday, Kamal Sadanah underwent a tragedy not many actors have witnessed.
Kamal Sadanah’s tragic family life
Kamal Sadanah was born to film producer and director Brij Sadanah, best known for films like Taqdeer, Ek Se Badhkar Ek, and Yaqeen. Brij had been a successful filmmaker in the 1960s and 70s but by the mid-80s, his films had begun to fail. In 1990, on Kamal’s 20th birthday, a quarrel broke out between Brij and his wife Sayeeda Khan. Kamal, who was making arrangements for his birthday party, heard gunshots. He rushed downstairs to find that his father – in a fit of rage – had shot both his mother and sister. Brij shot at Kamal too but missed, after which he shot himself. Kamal’s friends arrived for his party and they took everyone to the hospital. The 20-year-old was the only survivor. Autopsy revealed that Brij was drunk at the time of the episode.
Kamal Sadanah’s film career
Less than two years later, Kamal began his film career with Bekhudi opposite a 16-year-old Kajol. The film was a success and brought the young actor many offers. But his subsequent films did not do well. After a string of flops in the late-90s, the actor took a hiatus from films following the release of Kaali Topi Laal Rumaal in 2000. He returned to Bollywood in 2005 with his directorial Karkash and also played a supporting role in the TV show Kasamh Se in 2006.
In 2007, he produced Victoria No 203, a remake of his father’s film of the same name but it did not do well. Kamal also directed the 2014 film Roar, which marked Nora Fatehi’s Bollywood debut. As an actor, he made a comeback after 15 years with the 2022 release Salaam Venky. In the film, he reunited with Kajol on screen after 30 years. The film also featured Aamir Khan in a cameo.
