Aamir Khan's Dangal Co-star Zaira Wasim's Father Passes Away: 'Ask Allah To Forgive His Shortcomings'

Zaira Wasim, known for her roles in Dangal and Secret Superstar, has revealed that her father, Zahid Wasim, has passed away. She shared the news on her social media accounts, asking for prayers for her father’s peace and forgiveness. Zaira took to her social media handles on Tuesday and wrote, “My father, Zahid Wasim, has passed away. Please remember him in your prayers and ask Allah to forgive his shortcomings, make his grave peaceful, protect him from its torment, ease his journey from here ahead and grant him the highest level of Jannah and Maghrirah.”

Earlier this year, Zaira mourned the loss of her Dangal co-star Suhani Bhatnagar. She expressed her shock and offered heartfelt condolences to Suhani’s family. “I’m shocked beyond words by the news of Suhani Bhatnagar’s passing. My heart goes out to her family during this incredibly difficult time. The thought of what her parents must be experiencing fills me with so much sorrow. Utterly speechless. My heartfelt condolences,” she had written on X then.

Zaira made her Bollywood debut in 2016 at the age of 16. She played the younger version of Geeta Phogat, popular Haryanvi wrestler and the daughter of Mahavir Singh Phogat, veteran wrestler played by producer-actor Aamir Khan in Nitesh Tiwari’s blockbuster sports drama Dangal. The film, also starring Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Aparshakti Khurana, Sakshi Tanwar, and Suhani Bhatnagar, became one of the highest-grossing Indian films worldwide.

Zaira then played the lead role in Advait Chandan’s 2017 coming-of-age musical blockbuster Secret Superstar. She played a young Muslim girl who is a closeted singer and uploads YouTube videos of her singing wearing a burqa and calling herself a ‘secret superstar.’ The film, also starring Meher Vij and producer Aamir in an extended guest appearance, also became a raging success worldwide, particularly in China. Despite its modest budget of just Rs 15 crores, Secret Superstar amassed an impressive box office collection of Rs 965 crores worldwide. In a time when Bollywood frequently produces high-budget films worth 500-600 crores, Secret Superstar stands out as a shining example of how fresh and original content can surpass conventional norms.

Zaira ended her acting career in 2019 at just 18 years old after appearing in Shonali Bose’s film The Sky Is Pink. She portrayed a young girl fighting a terminal illness alongside Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, and Rohit Saraf.