Cult actor Zaid Khan: We went wrong with the Banaras promotions; learnt from those mistakes
Cult actor Zaid Khan said that he has changed his publicity strategy and is focusing more on offline than online promotions and here’s why…
Last Updated: 10.40 PM, Jan 20, 2026
Zaid Khan, the son of state minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, will have his second film as leading man, Cult, in theatres on January 23, 2026, after a little over three years since his debut. Unlike his first, Banaras , which had a pan-India release, Zaid is focusing only on promoting his film within Karnataka. The aim is to travel to all 31 districts and meet his target audience face-to-face. It’s a learning he has had from his debut, for which he focused exclusively on online promotions with interviews – 1,706 of them – and spent a lot of time travelling between cities for these interactions.
Why is Zaid Khan focusing on offline promotions for Cult?
“We made a lot of mistakes with the promotions of Banaras, which we are remedying with Cult,” said Zaid in conversation with Filmibeat Kannada, adding, “We’ve covered about half of the 31 districts and aim to finish the rest before the release. This time around, I am personally going to all the areas within these districts, because I need them to get an idea of me as an individual. I hail from a well-to-do family, so there is no reason for them to sympathise with me. I believe that when they see me, their perception of me will change.”
Cult, written and directed by Upadhyaksha maker Anil Kumar, is a love story in which Zaid is paired with Malaika Vasupal and Rachita Ram. The reason he has chosen yet another love story as his sophomore project, he says, is because his personality does not suit a mass commercial film with violence and bloodshed. “I don’t think audiences will accept me as an action hero who can beat up 8-10 goons at a time. There’s still time to try such films. Right now, I think I am a better fit for college love stories, etc. That’s the brief I gave Anil,” said the actor, adding that what appealed to him about the script was that there are emotions that are beyond the imagination of audiences.
With Cult, the actor promises that audiences will be entertained. The minimum guarantee with his films is that it will at least be a decent one-time watch if not an absolutely awesome experience. And that ties in with his long-term plan of becoming a superstar.
Cult FAQs
Q. Who is the hero of the Kannada film Cult?
A. Zaid Khan, the son of Karnataka politician Zameer Ahmed Khan, is the hero of Cult. This is Zaid's second film as a leading man, after Banaras.
Q. Where to watch the Kannada film Cult?
A. The Kannada film Cult will release in theatres on January 23, 2026. The Anil Kumar directorial stars Zaid Khan along with Upadhyaksha and Vidyapati fame Malaika Vasupal and Rachita Ram.