Referred to by some as India’s answer to Clint Eastwood for his signature cowboy swagger in films like Dharmatma (1975), Feroz Khan was an icon for his persona as well as his flamboyant films. Born in Bangalore to an Afghan immigrant father and Iranian mother, Feroz Khan studied at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School and St Germaine High School. After finishing school, Feroz Khan moved to Bombay to act in films and made his debut with Didi (1960). In the early years of his career, he played the lead in films like Reporter Raju (1962) and Teesra Kaun (1964). He also made his mark by acting with veterans Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar in Phani Mazumdar’s Oonche Log (1965), which first got him recognition. The good-looking star was acclaimed widely for his supporting role in Yash Chopra’s Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) and his performance as Sharmila Tagore’s possessive and suspicious husband in Asit Sen’s Safar (1970). The former won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1970. In Prakash Mehra’s Mela (1971), he acted with younger brother Sanjay Khan and Mumtaz (whose daughter Natasha would later marry his son Fardeen). Soon after he launched his own production house FK International with the action thriller Apradh (1972), co-starring Mumtaz.

Qurbani (1980), a musical action thriller featuring hit songs like “Aap jaisa koi” by Pakistani singer Nazia Hassan and “Laila o laila” by Indo-British musician Biddu proved to be the biggest hit of his career. In the film Feroz Khan played a motorcycle stuntman and expert safe-breaker along with co-star Vinod Khanna, who played fellow criminal Amar. Both actors gave stellar performances with leading lady Zeenat Aman. The film is known for having ushered the ‘disco revolution’ in Hindi cinema.

Janbaaz (1986), directed by Feroz Khan, boldly transgressed Hindi cinema’s till then unspoken ‘no kissing’ clause and also featured Sridevi in a special appearance as Khan’s lover who dies of a drug overdose. With music by Kalyanji-Anandji, the song "Har kisiko nahi milta" featuring Sridevi became an instant hit.

Next, Feroz Khan bought the rights for Mani Ratnam’s Tamil blockbuster Nayakan (1987) and remade it as Dayavan (1989), again with Vinod Khanna and him playing best friends, though the film was no match for the explosive original.

Feroz Khan launched son Fardeen with Prem Aggan (1998) and though the latter's career never quite took off, father and son were very close, both defending each other vigorously through testing times such as the younger Khan's arrest for drug possession in 2001.

Feroz Khan made very few film appearances in the 2000s, possibly due to his age and health issues. He won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. His last appearance was in the film Welcome (2007) as RDX, the top gangster.

Feroz Khan died of cancer on 27 April 2009 after spending his last days at his Bangalore farmhouse.