Meet actor who became overnight sensation at 15 with debut film, worked with Govinda and Jackie Shroff but gave up acting at 18
This actor debuted with a Yash Chopra movie at the age of 15 and went on to work with stalwarts like Govinda and Jackie Shroff. Unfortunately, she gave up acting at a mere age of 18. Can you guess?
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Imagine making a debut as young as 15 years old, making a career that many others dream of but packing bags within a few years. The actor we are talking about did the same. She made her debut with Yash Chopra’s hit movie Vijay and turned out to be one of the most sought-after actresses in no time. If you are not still able to think, she is the granddaughter of veteran actor Murad and niece of Raza Murad. Cannot recall?
Let us tell you, today we are talking about the sensationally beautiful and talented Sonam Khan. Born as Bakhtavar, Khan took up her stage name Sonam following a suggestion by Yash Chopra who wanted her to be more marketable. However, before Vijay, the actress did just one more Telugu movie titled Samrat in 1987.
Soon after her debut, Sonam worked with several stalwarts of Bollywood including Govinda, Chunky Pandey, Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Chiranjeevi, Jackie Shroff, Raj Babbar, Naseeruddin Shah, and Sanjay Dutt, among others. However, her career ended in just 7 years with around 35 film appearances in her kitty.
She was at the peak of her career in 1991 when Sonam, 18, decided to marry Rajiv Rai (producer Gulshan Rai’s son) and quit acting. The couple welcomed a son named Gaurav Rai who was born with autism. They left India, moved to Los Angeles, and eventually settled in Switzerland for about 20 years.
Khan in many interviews revealed that she spent several years travelling here and there in order of her son’s treatment. Unfortunately, Sonam's marriage didn’t work out and the couple got divorced on paper in 2016 after several years of separation. It was in January 2024 that Sonam Khan took to her Instagram and revealed that she re-found love in 2017 and tied the knot with Dr Murali Poduval.
In November 2023, Sonam Khan made her first public appearance after more than three decades at the launch of Jio World Plaza in Mumbai. The 51-year-old is quite active on social media and often shares glimpses from her life and family. However, whether Sonam would return to showbiz or not, there's still no clarity in it.
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