‘Emotionally, we were damaged’: Zaid Darbar says he ‘lived alone’ at 12, despite father Ismail Darbar’s massive Bollywood fame; expert on the impact of early parentification | Lifestyle News
4 min readNew DelhiFeb 26, 2026 11:00 PM IST Choreographer and social media personality Zaid Darbar recently reflected on his childhood, revealing how his parents’ separation shaped him from a very young age. Zaid was first introduced to public recognition when his father, music composer Ismail Darbar, received widespread acclaim for his work in films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas. While Ismail’s professional life was flourishing, his personal life was facing turbulence. In a recent interview with Mirchi Plus, Zaid opened up about the long-term impact of his parents’ divorce, which happened when he was 10. Reflecting on those years, he said, “My childhood has taught me a lot,” and added, “When you are 10, and your parents get separated, and they get married again… Emotionally, we were damaged. Since the age of 12, I have lived alone, alone as in alone.” He explained that although everyone’s struggles look different, such emotional upheaval forces a child to grow up quickly. “I understood at the age of 10 that you have to work …
