Superstar's cousin became a 70s heartthrob after 2 hits, later vanished from Bollywood: Where is Tariq Khan now?

This 70s star started career as an assistant and later became heartthrob, known as ‘the guitar boy’ after two hits.

He was one of Bollywood’s most recognisable young stars of the 1970s, winning over audiences with his boyish charm, dancing skills and hit songs. After making a striking debut and following it up with another successful film, he seemed destined for a long innings as a leading man. Yet, at the peak of his career, the actor chose to step away from Bollywood and explore an entirely different path.

Aamir Khan's cousin Tariq Khan left Bollywood after not getting substantial work.

Tariq Khan's Bollywood journey

Tariq Khan comes from a family with deep roots in Hindi cinema. He is the son of Azhar Ali Khan, who was married to Anzie Khan, the sister of Nasir Hussain and Tahir Hussain, who produced several notable films. He is also the cousin of superstar Aamir Khan and filmmaker Mansoor Ali Khan, making him part of one of Bollywood’s best-known film families.

While Tariq’s father wanted him to become a doctor, the actor was never too interested in academics. He was interested in films and, instead of directly giving him a break, his uncle Nasir Hussain insisted that he assist him in production. This marked the beginning of his journey in the film industry. He assisted his uncle on Caravan and later, at a party, Nasir realised his talent after seeing him dance and decided to cast him in Yaadon Ki Baaraat alongside stars such as Dharmendra and Vijay Arora. The film was written by Salim-Javed.

The 1973 film turned out to be his major acting debut. Tariq was only 22 when the film turned him into an overnight sensation. Looking back at the phase when he became a star, Tariq described it as an “euphoric” experience and credited Nasir Hussain with recognising his potential in a 2021 interview with HT.

The film gave him several memorable moments, particularly through the songs Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Aap Ke Kamre Mein and Lekar Hum Deewana Dil. Tariq lip-synced, played the guitar and danced in the songs, which went on to become hugely popular. He became the heartthrob of the 1970s and was known as the “rockstar” and “the guitar boy”. Interestingly, his cousin Aamir Khan also appeared in the film as the younger version of Tariq’s character, Monto.

If Yaadon Ki Baaraat introduced Tariq as Bollywood’s new young heartthrob, Hum Kisise Kum Naheen cemented his popularity. The 1977 musical, also directed by Nasir Hussain, became a major success and gave Tariq another strong lead role at a time when his career was gathering momentum. It further established Tariq as one of the promising young stars of the era. However, his journey in Bollywood did not turn out as expected.

He went on to play a negative role in the film Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai, where he played Kader Khan’s son. The film also featured stars such as Rishi Kapoor, Padmini Kolhapure and Amjad Khan, but still failed to make a mark and flopped at the box office. After this, Tariq’s career went downhill. He featured in films such as Shaukeen and Pasand Apni Apni with Ashok Kumar, Manzil Manzil with Sunny Deol and Baat Ban Jaye with Sanjeev Kumar, but all of these were supporting roles.

His last film, Mera Damad, was released in 1995, after which he quit Bollywood. He admitted that taking up a role in Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai might have been a mistake. At the same time, he revealed that he had signed several films as a leading man, but many of those projects never made it to completion. For an actor trying to establish himself, unfinished films meant that the momentum he had built could not always translate into a sustained career.

What did Tariq Khan do after quitting Bollywood?

In an interview with Vickey Lalwani this year, Tariq revealed that despite having tasted fame early in his career, he eventually grew tired of the uncertainty that came with being an actor. He said that after Mera Damad, he felt it was time to change direction rather than continue with what he described as a “continued struggle”.

“Mere Damaad ke baad mujhe aisa laga, I should change my track all together. Mereko interest aa gaya cargo, courier, travel and tourism mein (After Mere Damaad, I felt like I should change my track altogether. I became interested in cargo, courier, travel and tourism),” he recalled.

Tariq also explained that his work required him to travel extensively and that he was doing several shows at the time. However, he did not want to reach a point where, despite having achieved fame, he would have to keep approaching people for work.

“I didn’t want to continue doing work where I was constantly struggling. Either you should be getting enough work to have eight to 10 films in hand, but I didn’t have that. So, after earning so much recognition, I didn’t want to go around carrying my photographs, struggling to meet people and asking for work,” he said.

He also admitted that the film industry requires actors to remain constantly alert about their careers and opportunities. However, he was a shy and introverted person. Thus, Tariq decided to build a life outside films. He revealed that he worked in five or six different companies and later did television shows that had long runs.

How does Tariq Khan remain financially stable even after quitting films?

In the same interview, he also revealed that while he may have stepped away from the limelight, he has maintained financial stability through the businesses and work he took up after leaving films. His association with the film industry also continues in another way. Tariq revealed that he still receives a monthly cheque from Nasir Hussain Films, the production house that gave him his first major break. He also revealed that his son now works in the film industry and even assisted Aamir Khan on one of his films. Now, he says his son runs the house.

For someone who became a star almost overnight in his early 20s, Tariq’s story took an unusual turn. He had the fame, the hit songs and the looks that made him a 1970s heartthrob, but instead of spending years chasing stardom, he eventually chose financial security and a life away from Bollywood’s uncertainties.