Zayed Khan refutes rumours of affair with Esha Deol; says Aishwarya Rai knows how to play with co-stars: ‘She is so beautiful, it's like porcelain'
Zayed Khan and Esha Deol have starred in several films together, including Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, Dus, Cash, and others. Given their frequent collaborations, rumours once swirled that the two were dating. However, in a recent interaction, Zayed rubbished all such claims, clarifying that he was in a long-term relationship with his now-wife Malaika Parekh during the time he worked with Esha. He also referred to Esha as his 'buddy for life.'
Speaking to Siddharth Kannan, Zayed said, 'No, I was never in a relationship with Esha Deol. We have done a lot of films together. I was always with my wife Malaika, and Esha and Malaika have always been good friends. Esha is a sweetheart, and I don't want to say anything because she got married and all. She has been a buddy for life.'
Zayed also reflected on his experience of working with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the film Shabd. Calling the film ahead of its time, he said, 'Shabd was the film that showed a married woman falling in love with a young man. Strangely, all the films that I had chosen were ahead of their time. Shabd had a good story. It was a slice of life told at a time when people weren't ready for it.'
Zayed further admitted to being awestruck by Aishwarya's beauty and noted how she had a strong presence around her co-stars. He explained, 'I was a fan of Aishwarya when she became Miss World. I used to have her picture in the locker room. When I heard the script of the film and learned that Aishwarya is in the film, I quickly asked where do I sign on. I had a wonderful experience working with her.'
He added, 'She really knows how to play with you. There are actors who take time to come on set and there is drama and actual work is suffering, that's the worst situation to be in. But with Aishwarya, I thought it would be tough to break my fan moment, but she so naturally just said 'hi' and asked me if I want to do rehearsals first. She is so beautiful, it's like porcelain, it's not possible. Today people do filters and all, but she had a natural filter.'
Zayed's career in the film industry was relatively short-lived. Despite starring in various high-profile projects, his career took a downturn after the failure of the 2009 film Blue. He was last seen on the big screen in 2015's Sharafat Gayi Tel Lene.
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