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Rabia Khan Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1960

Age63 Years

BirthplaceAgra, Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionFormer Actor; Writer (scriptwriter and concept writer)

NationalityBritish

Marital statusSeparated

SpouseAli Rizvi Khan; Thomas Puppendahl

FamilyDaughter: Jiah Khan (deceased); Karishma Khan; Kavita Khan

Rabia Khan Biography

Rabia Khan is a former Indian film actress and writer who later worked in television and concept writing. She is known publicly as the mother of actress JI

Early life and background

Rabia Khan was born in 1960 and grew up in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. She was reportedly orphaned as a child and was later found in Dehradun by Tahir Hussain, the father of actor Aamir Khan. After moving to Mumbai and living with the Hussain family, Rabia converted from Christianity to Islam and developed Urdu language and acting skills under the guidance of Zeenat Hussain.

Career

Rabia pursued a career in Hindi cinema and made her film debut in 1982 with Dulha Bikta Hai. Over a brief period she appeared in several films through the 1980s, including Meri Jung (1985), Geraftaar (1985), Ankush (1986), and Ek Naya Rishta (1988). After stepping away from acting, she worked as a scriptwriter for a UK-based television series and served as a concept writer for the BBC.

Personal life and family

Rabia's personal life included two marriages. Her first marriage was to Ali Rizvi Khan, an Indian-American businessman; their daughter Nafisa Rizvi Khan, better known as Jiah Khan, was born during that marriage. That relationship ended when Jiah was an infant. In late 1989 Rabia moved to London with Jiah. She later married Thomas Puppendahl and had two daughters, Karishma Khan and Kavita Khan. Reports indicate that the family experienced financial and domestic difficulties after her second husband left, leading them to live on limited means in London.

Public profile

Rabia has been publicly identified as Jiah Khan's mother and has been involved in the legal and public aftermath of Jiah's death in 2013. Jiah was found dead at her Mumbai residence on 3 June 2013. Following that tragedy, Rabia publicly asserted that her daughter had been murdered and pursued multiple legal avenues seeking further investigation. She appealed to the Bombay High Court, requested a CBI inquiry, engaged a British forensic expert, and sought a Special Investigation Team. The case passed through several legal stages: it was taken up by the CBI in 2014, which later described Jiah's death as a suicide; Rabia continued to challenge that finding. A special CBI court acquitted the accused, Sooraj Pancholi, in April 2023 and criticized inconsistencies in the prosecution case. Rabia has stated she will challenge that verdict in the higher courts.

Latest updates

As of April 2023 the special CBI court acquitted the accused in the case related to Jiah Khan's death. Rabia has publicly said she intends to continue legal challenges and pursue the matter in higher courts. She has also written to national authorities seeking justice for her daughter.

Physical characteristics

Publicly reported details list Rabia Khan's height at approximately 1.58 meters (5 feet 2 inches) with light brown hair and brown eyes.

Legacy and note

Rabia Khan's public recognition is closely tied to her early work in Hindi films, her later writing roles for U.K. television and the BBC, and her persistent legal pursuit following her daughter's death. She remains a vocal participant in the ongoing public discussion around that case.
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Recent Work

Scriptwriter for a UK-based television series

Worked as a scriptwriter after her acting career

Concept writer for the BBC

Provided concept writing for BBC projects

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Career Highlights

  1. Film debut in Dulha Bikta Hai (1982)
  2. Acted in Meri Jung (1985), Geraftaar (1985), Ankush (1986), Ek Naya Rishta (1988)
  3. Later worked as a scriptwriter for a UK television series and as a concept writer for the BBC
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Rabia Khan born?

1960

What is Rabia Khan known for?

Former Actor; Writer (scriptwriter and concept writer)

What is Rabia Khan’s marital status?

Separated

Who is Rabia Khan married to?

Ali Rizvi Khan; Thomas Puppendahl