We all remember the adorable little Sikh boy in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai who, with tears in his eyes, asked Kajol’s Anjali ‘Tussi Jaa Rahe Ho? Tussi Na Jao’. Years later, the child actor who made that scene memorable has grown up and is now happily married. We are talking about Parzaan Dastur. From starring in some of Bollywood’s most memorable films as a child to working behind the camera, here’s a look at his journey in the film industry and what he is up to now.
Parzaan Dastur was just 6 when he starred in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Parzaan was only six years old when he starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Playing the silent Sikh boy, he won hearts with his adorable presence and the now-iconic scene in which he asks Anjali to stay.
During a conversation with Brut India back in 2021, Parzaan recalled that shooting for the film was like ‘party time’ for him. He also shared that people often call him lucky for getting the opportunity to be in the arms of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Recalling his time on the sets, he spoke fondly of his memories with Kajol, including taking walks with the actor and having fun together.
Following Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Parzaan appeared as a child actor in several Bollywood films, including Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Hum Tum, Haathi Ka Anda, Break Ke Baad, Zubeidaa and Mohabbatein.
He also played a boy who goes missing during the 2002 Gujarat riots in Rahul Dholakia’s Parzania (2007). In 2009, he took on the lead role in Piyush Jha’s Sikandar, playing a young boy who aspires to become a footballer but whose life takes an unexpected turn after he finds a gun.
Parzaan Dastur’s iconic commercials
Parzaan’s popularity extended beyond films. He featured in some memorable advertisements, including the iconic Dhara commercial in which he famously says ‘jalebi’. He also appeared in a Ganga Soap advertisement. Apart from acting on screen, Parzaan also lent his voice to an animated character in the 2004 film Hum Tum, starring Rani Mukerji and Saif Ali Khan.
Parzaan Dastur worked as an assistant director for Karan Johar
Parzaan was last seen on screen in Pocket Mummy in 2017, a project in which he also contributed as a writer. As he grew older, he found that the recognition he had enjoyed as a child actor was no longer the same. He eventually explored opportunities beyond acting, turning towards writing and direction.
After studying business management, Parzaan returned to filmmaker Karan Johar, who had given him one of his biggest breaks with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He worked as an assistant director on projects such as Student of the Year (2012), which marked the Bollywood debuts of Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt.
He also worked as an assistant director on films such as Kareena Kareena and Imran Khan-starrer Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013) as well as Fitoor (2016), featuring Katrina Kaif and Aditya Roy Kapur.
‘I don’t know why I didn’t find success in mainstream cinema’
Speaking to Brut India about not finding the same success as an actor in mainstream cinema, Parzaan said, “I am working really hard as a writer, director, producer. I don’t know why I didn’t find success in mainstream cinema, I keep asking myself that question. Is it because I am short? Or my voice is not so deep? It might be that I am not as talented as I need to be. Maybe if I had somebody to tell me what it exactly was then, I would have known better.”
After spending a few years working as an assistant director, Parzaan joined a digital marketing firm, where he discovered his interest in writing. He eventually started his own production house, Ten Colour Productions.
For nearly a decade, he has been working on the production company, producing, directing and writing advertisements, music videos, branded content and fiction projects. Parzaan Dastur now hosts a podcast on filmmaking, TCP Originals. He interviews writers and filmmakers to help audiences understand the craft of screenwriting.
Among his guests have been Dangal and Chhichhore writer Nikhil Mehrotra, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl and Mr. & Mrs. Mahi writer-director Sharan Sharma, and filmmaker Raj Mehta, known for projects such as Good Newwz, Selfiee and Jugjugg Jeeyo.
On personal front, Parzaan Dastur married his longtime girlfriend Delna Shroff on February 2021.