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In the history of Indian cinema, there are a few respected names, including Kader Khan, a legendary writer, actor, and mentor, whose words have shaped generations of films. Sarfraz Khan, the son of Kader Khan, has not only preserved his father’s artistic value but has also redefined it for a new and global generation through Acting by Sarfraz (ABS), an acting academy that is transforming acting mentorship across India and the world.

This is the story of Sarfraz Khan’s impactful journey, from growing up in the shadow of an iconic father to becoming a mentor and a bridge between classic cinematic craft and modern performance techniques.

Growing up with a legend: The influence of Kader Khan

Kader Khan’s contribution to Hindi cinema went far beyond acting. From an early age, Sarfraz Khan absorbed the lessons through script reading, rehearsals, and deep discussions about characters and society.

Sarfraz Khan’s impactful story: From actor to mentor

At the age of ten, Sarfraz Khan’s first commercial play was “Bhook Kashmir ko Bengal Bana deti hai”, in the rural areas of Bombay (Mumbai), written by his father Kader Khan, and directed by Mustaq Merchant. At the age of eleven, Sarfraz Khan’s first play, along with his father, was “Local Train” in Bombay city, now Mumbai, written, directed, and acting by Kader Khan as well.

In his school, Sarfraz Khan wrote, directed and acted in a stage play for the dramatic competition. It was a 20 minutes play, and he won the best supporting actor. In early teens, he acted as a child artist, called “Shatranj” in the younger portion of his father.

In Switzerland, he achieved an award for ‘public speaking’. He also received an award for a marketing project from his school in Switzerland. At the age of twenty, he got many mementos and certificates for his outstanding performances for playing different characters through different emotions in his acting school in Mumbai, called “Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting LAB”.

At the age of twenty one, Sarfraz Khan received his father’s theatre company, “Kal Ke Kalakar”. 25 actors had worked under him. Sarfraz Khan’s first play with his own direction and acting was, “Badi der ki Meherbaan aate aate”. He had also directed the one-act play, “Achchai and Burai”. He got his first movie assignment, called, “Kya yehi pyar hai”, produced by Tips Production, and directed by Mr. Murlimohan Rao and also starred Jackie Shroff, Aftab Shivdasani and Amisha Patel.

Sarfraz Khan also signed as an actor in Sohail Khan’s first movie called “Maine Dil Tujko Diya”, also directed by Sohail Khan. Sarfraz Khan was recognized as an actor in the film industry after this movie. Sarfraz Khan was also partnered with “Kala Sangam”, a theatre production company. It was the first company to take Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla to Brunei for a live show. Under “Kala Sangam”, Sarfraz Khan produced a few Gujrati plays and did a few national and international events across the US, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia. Sarfraz Khan was recognized as an actor in the audience’s eyes from the famous movie, “Tere Naam”.

Sarfraz Khan has created an online acting certified course, named “Acting by Sarfraz (ABS), where the course is divided into three sections: beginners (What is Art), intermediate (Let’s Act), and advance (creating characters and characterization).

The birth of Acting by Sarfraz (ABS)

Sarfraz Khan founded Acting by Sarfraz (ABS), an academy built on the principles of Kader Khan and refined through his own personal experience. ABS was designed as a mentor-driven ecosystem, where actors are trained to perform and to understand storytelling, ethics, and discipline. After every section in the course at ABS, students will need to pass the exam and then will be selected for the next section.

International reach: ABS across borders

From digital platforms and online mentorship, ABS now trains aspiring actors from India, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and beyond. Through online workshops, virtual auditions, one-on-one mentoring, and international masterclasses, Sarfraz Khan has democratized acting education. Today, ABS alumni are working across films, television, web series, theatre, and independent cinema.

While Kader Khan gave Indian cinema unforgettable characters and dialogues, Sarfraz Khan is shaping its future by nurturing thoughtful and internationally aware actors. Today, Sarfraz Khan stands not just as a son of a legend but as a mentor of legends in the making.