Sooraj Pancholi (born 9 November 1990) is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi-language films. The son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, he debuted with the romantic action film Hero (2015), for which he won a Filmfare award for Best Newcomer.[3] He next played a soldier in Satellite Shankar (2019).
Early life
Pancholi was born on 9 November 1990 to Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab in Mumbai. His parents are also Bollywood actors.[4] He has a sister, Sana Pancholi,[5] and his grandfather, Rajan Pancholi, was a filmmaker.
Career
Sooraj was an assistant director on films such as Guzaarish and Ek Tha Tiger.[6] In 2015, he made his acting debut in the romantic action film Hero, which earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Newcomer in 2016.[3] He then acted in Satellite Shankar, which was released on 8 November 2019.[7] He has also been cast in the upcoming Indian dance film, Time to Dance.[8] He has also appeared in the music videos GF BF (2016) and Dim Dim Lights (2019).
Personal life
Pancholi was arrested after actress Jiah Khan, whom he was dating, died in 2013. He was jailed for 22 days before being granted bail. A note later produced by Khan's family blamed the couple's strained relationship as a reason for her possible suicide.[9][10] In 2018, Pancholi was formally charged with abetting the suicide;[11][12] however, he denied involvement in the death, describing himself as a scapegoat for her decision to end her life.[13] Jiah's family believed Pancholi was responsible for their daughter's death.[14]
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."[15] In response to the court's judgement, Khan's mother told the media that she would move to a high court.[16]
Tabloids in 2016 linked Pancholi with Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane, but he denied any relationship with her.[17] Since 2016, he has been dating Brazilian model Larissa Bonesi.[18][19]
