Aamir Khan was AD on Sunny Deol's Manzil Manzil, Zabardast in 1984-85
Synopsis
Before Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak made him a star, Aamir Khan was fetching chai on Sunny Deol's sets. His revelation on KBC Season 18 — that he spent nearly three years as an AD on his uncle Nasir Hussain's Manzil Manzil and Zabardast — reframes the Aamir-Sunny dynamic just as their Batwara 1947 reunion hits screens.
Key Takeaways
Aamir Khan revealed on Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18 that he began his career as an assistant director, not an actor.
He worked as AD on Sunny Deol's two films — Manzil Manzil (1984) and Zabardast (1985) — both directed by his uncle Nasir Hussain .
Aamir was just 18 years old when he first met Sunny on set, and worked alongside him for nearly 3 years as an assistant.
Zabardast (1985) was Nasir Hussain's final directorial venture; both films featured music by R.D.
Aamir and Sunny reunited in 2026 for Batwara 1947 , with Aamir as producer and Sunny in the lead role, released on 14 August 2026 .
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has revealed a little-known chapter of his career: before becoming one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars, he spent nearly three years as an assistant director on films featuring Sunny Deol, starting when he was just 18 years old. The candid disclosure came during a special appearance on the quiz reality show Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18.
The KBC Revelation
Aamir was joined on the KBC Season 18 set by Sunny Deol, Amitabh Bachchan, and Preity Zinta. During an open question-and-answer session with the studio audience, a question about his first collaboration with Sunny on Batwara 1947 prompted Aamir to go further back in time.
'Yeh bahut kam log jaante hai Sir shayad, ke jab maine career mein entry meri hui, mein as an assistant director aaya tha, toh first time jab main Sunny se mila tab main assistant director tha unki film mein. Manzil Manzil aur Zabardast, yeh do filme banrahi thi, Sir, joh mere chachajaan Nasir Hussain sahab banarahein thein and Sunny was the lead in both the films and I was the assistant director,' he said. He added: 'Kareeb 3 saal maine as an assistant with Sunny kaam kiya. Main 18 saal ka tha, aur Sunny to bahut bade star thein to humlog bahut excited thein.'
Manzil Manzil (1984): The First Film
Manzil Manzil released in 1984 and was directed by Aamir's uncle, veteran filmmaker Nasir Hussain. The romantic drama starred Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles, with Danny Denzongpa, Prem Chopra, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in pivotal parts. The story followed Seema and Vijay — played by Dimple and Sunny respectively — as they navigate family opposition and a relationship tested by an accident that leaves Seema with memory loss. The film's music was composed by R.D. Burman, with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri, and featured songs including 'O Meri Jaan' and 'Loot Gaye Hum To Raahon Mein'.
Zabardast (1985): Nasir Hussain's Final Film
Zabardast, released in 1985, was also directed by Nasir Hussain and marked his final directorial venture. The ensemble cast featured Sunny Deol, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Prada, Rajiv Kapoor, Rati Agnihotri, Tanuja, and Amrish Puri. The film revolved around themes of family, crime, betrayal, and revenge — with Sanjeev Kumar playing Ratan Kumar, whose life unravels in a conflict with Amrish Puri's character Balram Singh, while Sunny's Sunder Kumar seeks the truth about his family's past. Once again, the music was by R.D. Burman with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
From AD to Producer: The Batwara 1947 Reunion
Decades after those early AD days, Aamir Khan and Sunny Deol reunited for Batwara 1947, which released on 14 August 2026. This time, Aamir was on the other side of the credits — as producer — with Sunny in the lead role. The film has reportedly opened to a positive response from both audiences and critics. The reunion arc — from assistant director to producer — underscores how formative those mid-1980s years on Nasir Hussain's sets were for Aamir's understanding of cinema.
Point of View
One of Hindi cinema's most commercially astute production houses of the 1970s and 80s. That a future auteur spent three formative years observing craft on a working set, rather than arriving fully formed, is a detail the industry's mythology tends to erase. The Batwara 1947 reunion also raises an interesting question: does Aamir's role as producer signal a deliberate full-circle moment, or is it simply a commercial bet on Sunny Deol's post-Gadar resurgence? Either way, the KBC disclosure adds texture to a partnership that mainstream coverage has reduced to a single film.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which films did Aamir Khan work on as an assistant director?
Aamir Khan worked as an assistant director on Manzil Manzil (1984) and Zabardast (1985), both directed by his uncle Nasir Hussain and featuring Sunny Deol in the lead roles. He revealed this on Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 18.
How old was Aamir Khan when he started as an assistant director?
Aamir Khan was 18 years old when he entered the film industry as an assistant director. He worked with Sunny Deol on set for nearly three years before transitioning to acting.
Who directed Manzil Manzil and Zabardast?
Both films were directed by Nasir Hussain, Aamir Khan's uncle and a prominent Bollywood filmmaker. Zabardast (1985) was notably Nasir Hussain's final directorial venture.
Who starred in Manzil Manzil (1984)?
Manzil Manzil starred Sunny Deol and Dimple Kapadia in the lead roles, with Danny Denzongpa, Prem Chopra, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in supporting parts. The music was composed by R.D. Burman with lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
What is Batwara 1947 and how does it connect to this story?
Batwara 1947 is a film released on 14 August 2026, produced by Aamir Khan with Sunny Deol in the lead role. It marks a reunion of the two, decades after Aamir worked as Sunny's assistant director in the mid-1980s.
