Picture this: a young hopeful walks into a meeting for a school assignment and walks out with a dream debut alongside Amitabh Bachchan. That’s the fairy-tale start Jiah Khan got in Bollywood with ‘Nishabd’. Born to actress Rabia Amin in the US, Jiah grew up idolizing the industry her mother graced with films like ‘Ankush’.
Director Ram Gopal Varma was her target for an interview, but 10 minutes of sparkling dialogue landed her the lead in his controversial 2007 drama. Opposite the Shakespeare of Indian cinema, Jiah tackled a taboo romance, quelling set-side butterflies to nail bold moments flawlessly.
The film’s divisive reception—box office breakeven overshadowed by outrage—paradoxically boosted Jiah’s profile. She dazzled next in ‘Ghajini’ opposite Aamir Khan and ‘Housefull’ with Akshay Kumar, showcasing versatility amid A-listers. But off-screen, heartbreak struck hard. Her relationship with Sooraj Pancholi collapsed, leading to her devastating suicide in Mumbai in 2013.
On her birth anniversary, February 20, Jiah’s legacy endures through her unforgettable ‘Jia’ persona—a testament to untapped potential cut short too soon.