Sooraj Pancholi
Indian actor (born 1990)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sooraj Pancholi is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi-language films. The son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, he debuted with the 2015 romantic action film Hero, for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Newcomer.[2] He also starred in the 2019 action drama film Satellite Shankar opposite Megha Akash.
Sooraj Pancholi | |
|---|---|
Pancholi in 2017 | |
| Born | Bombay, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2015–Present |
| Partner | Jiah Khan (2012–13)[1] |
| Parent(s) | Aditya Pancholi (father) Zarina Wahab (mother) |
Early life
Pancholi was born to Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab in Bhopal. His parents are also Bollywood actors.[3] He has a sister, Sana Pancholi,[4] and his grandfather, Rajan Pancholi, was a filmmaker.
Career
Sooraj was an assistant director on films such as Guzaarish and Ek Tha Tiger.[5] In 2015, he made his acting debut in the romantic action film Hero, which earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Newcomer in 2016.[2] He then acted in Satellite Shankar, which was released on 8 November 2019.[6] He then starred in the dance film Time to Dance (2021).[7] He has also appeared in the music videos GF BF (2016) and Dim Dim Lights (2019). He then starred in the period action film Kesari Veer, which received negative reviews from critics and became a box office bomb.
Personal life
Pancholi dated actress Jiah Khan before her death in 2013. Tabloids in 2016 linked Pancholi with Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane, but he denied any relationship with her.[8] From 2016 to 2019, he has been dating Brazilian model Larissa Bonesi, with whom he has worked in the music video "Dim Dim Light".[9][10]
Controversy
Pancholi was arrested after actress Jiah Khan, whom he was dating, died on 3 June 2013. He was taken into a police custody during the investigation of her suicide on 10 June 2013 and jailed for 22 days before being granted bail on 2 July 2013. A note later produced by Khan's family blamed the couple's strained relationship as a reason for her possible suicide.[11][12] In January 2017, the prosecution requested that charges of sexual assault and murder laid by Pancholi. On 31 January 2018, Pancholi was formally charged with abetting the suicide;[13][14] however, he denied involvement in the death, describing himself as a scapegoat for her decision to end her life.[15] Jiah's family believed Pancholi was responsible for their daughter's death.[16]
In April 2023, a CBI Special Court acquitted Pancholi due to a lack of evidence after ten years of court battles. After the verdict was announced on April 28, Sooraj took to his Instagram Stories and wrote, "The truth always wins," and added the hashtag "God is great."[17] In response to the court's judgement, Khan's mother told the media that she would move to a high court.[18]
Filmography
Films
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Hero | Suraj Kaushik | |
| 2019 | Satellite Shankar | Shankar | |
| 2021 | Time to Dance | Rishabh | |
| 2025 | Kesari Veer |
Hamirji Gohil |
[19] |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Stardust Awards | Best Jodi (Pair) Of The Year (Shared with Athiya Shetty) | Hero | Won[20] |
| 2016 | Filmfare Awards | Best Male Debut | Won | |
| Producers Guild Film Awards | Most Promising Debut Jodi (Shared with Athiya Shetty) | Won | ||
| International Indian Film Academy Awards | Hottest Pair (shared with Athiya Shetty) | Won | ||
| Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer – Male | Nominated | ||
