Sooraj Pancholi, the son of veteran actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, recently made a fresh comeback to his acting career with Kesari Veer, leaving his bitter past for good. After years away from the spotlight following the suicide of Ghajini actress, Jiah Khan, and the 10-year investigation that finally cleared his name from the case. In a new interview, Sooraj got real about rebuilding his life and career, and how he never gave up on the idea of love.
Sooraj Pancholi talks about the idea of love after Jiah Khan
Model and actress, Jiah Khan was only 25 years old when she was found hanging in her Mumbai apartment on June 3, 2013, allegedly by suicide. Following her tragic demise, her then-boyfriend, Sooraj Pancholi, had to attend gruelling investigations, and he became the centre of public controversy for years. In a recent conversation with Zoom, when asked about his views on love today, Sooraj revealed that he has always welcomed love in his life. He was quoted as saying:
“It has been 10 – 13 years now. If I don’t find love again, I mean, I will not be human, right? I’ve had five girlfriends after that. I’m looking for the sixth one now. Of course, love is always welcome in everybody’s life.”
Sooraj Pancholi’s emotional turmoil and career setbacks following Jiah Khan’s suicide
For those unaware, Jiah Khan was in a relationship with Sooraj Pancholi, who was about to make his Bollywood debut, when life took an unexpected turn, as Sooraj was booked under abatement of suicide. Her tragic death followed a decade-long trial, and Sooraj was acquitted of all charges in 2023. Despite the verdict clearing his name, the actor says the damage to his career and youth was immense.
Earlier, during a conversation with SCREEN, Sooraj became emotional while talking about missing out on his 20s due to the legal ordeal. Within these ten years, the actor missed several entertainment opportunities and lost valuable family time. In his words:
“Career is a different thing. All my 20s went into suffering. I never got to live those years… But I lost a lot of personal time to spend some happy years with my family, to go out, or even think with an open mind, and not keep wondering what people would think of me or being judged.”
Sooraj Pancholi’s comeback with Kesari Veer
After years of battle and intense public scrutiny, Sooraj recently made his long-awaited return to the big screen with Kesari Veer, co-starring Suniel Shetty and Akanksha Sharma. The movie, inspired by the real-life story of Hamirji Gohil, became a passion project for him. Speaking to Zoom about his character in Kesari Veer, Sooraj shared that he found a character he liked in the film, revealing that he only charged Rs. 101, which was also after the makers’ insistence. He shared:
“They asked me what I wanted to charge for the film, and I said I don’t want anything. I didn’t want to do this movie for the money. On the contract, they had to give me something, so I said, ‘Give me 101 rupees.’”
Talking about his professional front, Sooraj shared that he wishes to work on more exciting projects that let him explore his acting prowess more.
What are your thoughts on Sooraj Pancholi’s revelation about finding love again?
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