Tragedy in the family has united Zayed & Fardeen

By Subhash K Jha

Zayed Khan is ready for his second innings. Father Sanjay Khan will this year produce an international jungle adventure featuring Zayed and his brother-in-law Hrithik Roshan.

Just back from Macau after anchoring the 10th IIFA awards Zayed brims over with a new cool but understated confidence.

Tragedy in the family always brings the members closer together. So it is with cousins Fardeen and Zayed Khan who after the former's father's death have been seen bonding more closely than ever before.

Always known to be fond of one another Fardeen and Zayed are now almost inseparable.

Zayed has been pillar of strength for his "bro". Fardeen who finds it hard to articulate his grief to anyone else is very much at home with his cousin and had been missing Zayed in Goa where Fardeen has been shooting for the past one month for Rohit Shetty's comedy All The Best.

Trying to be funny on camera while feeling far from amused is the last thing Fardeen wants to do at the moment.

Sensing his brother's anguish Zayed after landing in Mumabi from Macau suddenly took off for Goa on Wednesday morning to give Fardeen company.

Uncharacteristically he went without his wife and son, a no-no as far as holidays are concerned.

"But sometimes a guy just has to be with his bro, " says Zayed from Goa. "We've always been close. I guess now my bro needs me more than ever. So here I am. What is family for?"