Jayant (actor)

{{Short description|Indian film actor of 1930s to 60s (1915–1975)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Jayant | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = Jayant in the film ''Sabak '' | birth_name = Zakaria Khan | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1915|10|15}} | birth_place = Peshawar, North-West Frontier Province, British India (present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1975|06|02|1915|10|15}} | death_place = Bombay, Maharashtra, India (present-day Mumbai) | children = 3 including:<br/>Amjad Khan<br/>Imtiaz Khan | parents = Sayeed Ahmed Khan (father) | other_names = | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1935 – 1975 | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Zakaria Khan''' (15 October 1915 – 2 June 1975), better known by his stage name '''Jayant''', was an Indian actor. He was the father of actors Amjad Khan and Imtiaz Khan. His notable works are in films like ''Amar'', ''Memdidi'' and ''Nazneen''. He worked in many movies with Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Kishore Kumar.<ref name=cineplot>{{cite web|url=http://cineplot.com/encyclopedia/jayant/|date=31 October 2012|archive-date=29 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2022|url-status=dead|title=Profile of Jayant|website=Cineplot.com website |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429065502/http://cineplot.com/encyclopedia/jayant/}}</ref><ref name=cinemaazi>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/jayant-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203095518/https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/jayant-1|title=Profile of Jayant|website= Indian Cinema Heritage Foundation (Cinemaazi.com) website|access-date=12 October 2023|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 December 2020}}</ref>

==Early life== Jayant was born in Nodeh Payan (Nawan Kalli), Peshawar, North-West Frontier Province, British India on 15 October 1915 and was named Zakaria Khan.<ref name=cineplot/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-amjad-khan-1542614.html |title=Obituary: Amjad Khan |newspaper=The Independent (UK newspaper)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512052212/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-amjad-khan-1542614.html|archive-date=12 May 2015|url-status=dead|date=25 August 1992 |author=Kuldip Singh|access-date=12 October 2023|quote=The son of Zakaria Khan, a Pathan from the North-West Frontier Province and popular Bollywood character actor of the Fifties and Sixties (screen name Jayant), Khan was born in Bombay in 1943.}}</ref><ref name=TOI/> He was a Pashtun. He was only able to finish his elementary education. Jayant was a police officer in Alwar, Rajasthan before starting the film career.<ref name=cinemaazi/>

==Career== Jayant was tall and had a deep voice. He worked in Vijay Bhatt's first Gujarati movie ''Sansaar Leela'' (1933). The name Jayant was also given to him by director and producer Vijay Bhatt. He played lead role in many movies like ''Bombay Mail'' (1935), ''Challenge'' (1936), ''His Highness'' (1937) and ''State Express'' (1938).<ref name=cinemaazi/>

==Personal life== Jayant was married and his children were film actors Amjad Khan (of Gabbar Singh fame) and Imtiaz Khan.<ref name=TOI>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-02-11/edit-page/28325045_1_prithviraj-rajya-sabha-peshawar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104114319/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-02-11/edit-page/28325045_1_prithviraj-rajya-sabha-peshawar |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2012 |newspaper=The Times of India |title=Acting MP |date=11 February 2004|author=V N Kakar|access-date=11 February 2022}}</ref> He was the grandfather of Shadaab Khan, Ahlam Khan, Seemaab Khan and Ayesha Khan and father-in-law of Shaila Khan and Krutika Desai Khan (wife of Imtiaz).

==Death== Jayant died on 2 June 1975 at age 60 in Bombay two months prior to the release of his son Amjad Khan's most successful movie Sholay. He died due to throat cancer.<ref name=cineplot/> He was buried at Naupada Qabarstan of Bandra West in Mumbai.

==Filmography== {{div col|colwidth=40em}} * ''Love and God'' (1986) as Emir-e-Basra * ''Simon'' (1980) as Barundi * ''Insaaniyat'' (1974) as Raghuveer / Diwan * ''Mera Gaon Mera Desh'' (1971) as Hawaldar Major Jaswant Singh * ''Jane Anjane'' (1971) as Shankar * ''Reshma Aur Shera'' (1971) as Sagat Singh * ''Heer Raanjha'' (1970) as Chaudhary * ''Maa Aur Mamta'' (1970) as Qasim * ''Aag Aur Daag'' (1970) as Shyam * ''Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi'' (1970) * ''Inspector'' (1970) as Marshal * ''My Love'' (1970) * ''Anmol Moti'' (1969) * ''Do Raaste'' (1969) as Khan * ''Sapnon Ka Saudagar'' (1968) as Thakur Rai Bahadur Harnam Singh * ''Sunghursh'' (1968) as Bhavani Prasad * ''Sagaai'' (1966) as Dwarkanath * ''Thakur Jarnail Singh'' (1966) * ''Himalay Ki God Mein'' (1965) as Lakhan Singh * ''Sher Dil'' (1965) * ''Beti Bete'' (1964) as Raghu * ''April Fool'' (1964) as Lal * ''Haqeeqat'' (1964) as Brigadier Singh * ''Leader'' (1964) as Diwan Mahendranath * ''Zindagi'' (1964) as Sher Khan * ''Son of India'' (1962) as Jung Bahadur "J.B." * ''Bada Aadmi'' (1961) * ''Jhumroo'' (1961) as Dwarkanath * ''Maya'' (1961) as Ranveer Dada * ''Memdidi'' (1961) as Sher Mohammed Khan "Shera" * ''Parakh'' (1960) as Rai Bahadur Tandav Tarafdar * ''Kal Hamara Hai'' (1959) as Seth Heeralal * ''Madhumati'' (1958) as Pawan Raja * ''Naya Andaz'' (1956) * ''Baap Re Baap'' (1955) as Raja Bahadur Moti Sagar * ''Insaniyat'' (1955) as Zangoora * ''Musafir Khana'' (1955) * ''Tangewali'' (1955) * ''Yasmin'' (1955) * ''Amar'' (1954) as Sankat Chhalia * ''Watan'' (1954) * ''Amar Kirtan'' (1954) * ''Rail Ka Dibba'' (1953) * ''Nazneen'' (1951) * ''Saiyan'' (1951) * ''Pardes'' (1950) as Rana Sahib * ''Chaar Din'' (1949) * ''Dulari'' (1949) as Girija Shankar * ''Zevaraat'' (1949) * ''Roop Nagar'' (1947) * ''Maa Baap Ki Laaj'' (1946) * ''Shirin Farhad'' (1945) * ''Poonji'' (1943) * ''Apni Nagariya'' (1940) * ''Sardar'' (1940) * ''Sardar-e-Awwal'' (1939) * ''State Express'' (1938) as Prince * ''Azad Veer'' (1936) * ''Snehlata'' (1936) * ''Bombay Mail'' (1935) * ''Lal Chitta'' (1935) * ''Bambai Ki Sethani'' (1935) * ''Sansar Leela'' (1933) {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=0004099|name=Jayant}}

Category:1915 births Category:1975 deaths Category:Pashtun male actors Category:Indian people of Pashtun descent Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema Category:20th-century Indian male actors Category:People from Peshawar