Bollywood actress changed religion to marry producer; he shot her dead along with daughter, suspected her of having illegitimate child

It was during this time that she met producer Brij Sadanah who proposed marriage, and Sayeeda said yes. She changed her religion, and her name, and was now known as Sudha Sadanah. But, Sayeeda’s past clouded her future. Her husband Brij believed that Sayeeda had a child before she married him, and since that child was now being raised by Sayeeda’s mother, he was constantly sore about it.

Sayeeda Khan starred in films with Kishore Kumar and Manoj Kumar. (Photo: Express Archives)

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Shagufta Rafique, who grew up to write films like Aashiqui 2 and Murder 2, was being raised by Anwari Begum. Shagufta, in a chat with Filmfare, shared that she grew up in a cloud of confusion as many told her that she was the illegitimate child of Sayeeda, but was being raised by Anwari because she wanted to protect her unwed daughter’s honour. “Many believed I looked like Saeeda apa. My voice sounds like hers,” she said.

As per Shagufta, Brij “hated” her because he was always questioning her identity, while also supporting her and Anwari financially. Shagufta believed that this, probably, contributed to his anger, that ultimately resulted in him shooting dead his wife and daughter before turning the gun on him. Only son Kamal survived the attack. “Brij saab was justified in his anger. He was a bundle of confusion, his films were flopping and that’s why he did what he did,” she said.

Sayeeeda, now known as Sudha, had built a life for herself ever since she left the world of movies where she was trying to make it as an actor. She and Brij had a daughter named Namrata, and a son named Kamal. But Kamal’s 20th birthday brought this family to a tragic end. Brij had been drinking all day and in a fit of anger, he shot his wife, his daughter, his son, and himself. Kamal, who somehow survived this shooting, took his family members to the hospital but none of them survived. “I had to carry my mother and my sister to the hospital while they were bleeding and at that time I didn’t realise that I was also shot,” Kamal told Siddharth Kannan.

Sayeeda, who was later known as Sudha Sadanah, was shot by her husband. (Photo: Express Archives)

Shagufta also recalled that dark day and said that Sayeeda was bleeding in her lap as they got to the hospital. “I was 25 when Saeeda apa died. I was attached to her as a sister, never saw her as a mother. But yes, the way she used to stand for me, cry for me, fight for me… was a little different from that of a sister. Once, my mother Anwari Begum put it cleverly, ‘If anyone asks you, is Saeeda your mother, say yes.’ On being told this, I went into flashback about Saeeda’s apa’s affection towards me and tried putting the pieces together.”

A few years after this tragedy, Kamal made his debut in the movies with Kajol but after working in a few films, he too, did not pursue a life in the movies.

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