Meet Adnan Sami's First Wife, Zeba Bakhtiar, Pakistani Film Actress, Producer And More

Zeba Bakhtiar is one of the most graceful and beautiful actresses who came from Pakistan. She gained popularity with her role in the Hindi film, Henna, and later continued to shine through films and TV shows. People loved her not just for her acting, but also for her calm and composed nature even during tough times. 

Over the years, Zeba’s life has been no less than a roller coaster ride. She has seen her share of ups and downs. From successful films to multiple heartbreaks, she has seen it all. She had been married four times and even faced a long legal battle of custody with her ex-husband, Adnan Sami. Despite all the struggles, she always stood strong and focused on her work and family. 

Who is Zeba Bakhtiar?

Zeba Bakhtiar was born on November 5, 1962, in Pakistan. Her father, Yahya Bakhtiar, was a lawyer and politician in Pakistan, and her mother, Eva Bakhtiar, came from England. Zeba grew up in a home where both Pakistani and Western cultures were respected. She has two brothers and one sister.

Although, Zeba studied economics and law, slowly and gradually she found her interest and passion in acting. She became popular with the Pakistani TV show, Anarkali and made her debut in the Bollywood film, Henna in 1991, which was directed by Randhir Kapoor. This film brought her a lot of fame and love from both Pakistan and India. Her looks and strong acting skills made her one of the most loved actresses of that time. 

Zeba Bakhtiar’s career beyond acting

After her big break in the Bollywood film, Henna, she worked in several other films such as, Mohabbat Ki Arzoo, Stuntman, Jai Vikraanta and Muqadama, but none of these worked well for her. Apart from acting, she also tried her hands on direction and producing. Zeba produced and directed Babu (2001) and co-produced O21 (2014) with her son, Azaan Sami Khan, showing her storytelling skills from behind the camera. 

Zeba Bakhtiar’s marriage with Adnan Sami

Zeba Bakhtiar and Adnan Sami got married in 1993. Their marriage received a lot of public attention as people called it a mismatch because Adnan was only 22 years old, whereas Zeba was 31 years old. Moreover, Adnan was a newcomer while Zeba was already an established actress. Later, people accepted the marriage when Zeba and Adnan appeared together in a Pakistani movie, Sargam, which was appreciated a lot by the audience.

Within a year, in 1994, the couple welcomed their son, Azaan Sami Khan, who later became a successful composer and musician. Zeba mentioned in interviews that right before her marriage with Adnan, she left acting and was interested in production. But after her marriage, family responsibilities took over and soon Azaan was also born. So, she devoted all her time to raising him. 

Zeba Bakhtiar and Adnan Sami’s messy divorce

Zeba Bakhtiar and Adnan Sami’s marriage, which began in 1993, ended just three years later in 1996. In interviews, Zeba shared that the relationship didn’t work because they had major differences in understanding and expectations. She felt Adnan married her as a public figure rather than as a person. Their divorce was emotionally painful for both. After her divorce, Zeba shared in an interview:

"When I got married to Adnan, I was wrapping up a few films. At that time, I wasn’t interested in continuing to act. I wanted to write, maybe produce. I wasn’t that involved in acting. Then I married Adnan and Azaan was born, I was totally invested in that. But when the marriage didn’t work out, I started doing productions and other projects."

Even though their divorce was on mutual terms, their split led to a 18-months long battle of custody of their son, Azaan. The custody battle was difficult for both Zeba and Adnan. After fighting for 18 months, Azaan’s custody was given to Zeba Bakhtiar. During the custody battle, she admitted that, “I lost my mind. I was functioning, but not really. It was quite challenging. But I’m glad Azaan and I made it back. On the other hand, after the divorce, Zeba started working again in the entertainment industry. She said that she also had to work for Azaan.

Adnan Sami talks about his marriage with Zeba Bakhtiar

Over the years, both Adnan Sami and Zeba Bakhtiar chose to maintain dignity and stayed silent about their failed marriage. They never really opened up publicly on what actually were the reasons. However, in June 2025, Adnan Sami spoke about his marriage his Zeba and shared:

"Sometimes what happens is that with time, for whatever reason, it was not meant to be, and that does not make you or me a bad person. That is destiny. After a certain period, you realise that it is not working and you part. We tried, and it did not work out for whatever reason; maybe it ended in a fight or a major clash. At the end of the day, when you part, remember once upon a time, there was love, and let us respect that and move on. This person did bring me joy at a particular point in life and we had some great moments together."

Adnan Sami’s marriages

After his failed marriage with Zeba Bakhtiar, Adnan Sami, in 2001, got married to Sabah Galadari, a Dubai-based businesswoman. It was a second marriage for both of them and they initially kept it private. However, it came to media attention when the couple started facing issues. Reportedly, Adnan got to know that Sabah had a child from a previous marriage, which led to their separation in 2003. Despite this, they decided to give it another chance but their relationship ended in 2009 amid domestic violence allegations. 

Later, Adnan found love again in Roya Faryabi, who stood by him during his tough times, including legal battles and personal losses. They dated for a few years before making their relationship public at the 3 Idiots premiere. In 2010, the couple got married and welcomed their daughter, Medina in 2017. The couple currently lives in India and Adnan gives full credit to Roya for bringing happiness in his life.

Zeba Bakhtiar's journey has been filled with several ups and downs, but she always handled it with a lot of strength. What do you think about her journey? Let us know. 

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