# Sonam (actress)

Sonam Khan (born Bakhtavar Khan; 2 September 1972) is an Indian actress who is predominantly known for her work in Hindi as well as Telugu films. A granddaughter of actor Murad, she began her career with the Telugu film Samrat in 1987. She was launched in Hindi cinema by Yash Chopra in his directorial Vijay in 1988.
Sonam went on to star in several commercially successful films, including Tridev (1989), Mitti Aur Sona (1989), Kroadh (1990), Kodama Simham (1990), Ajooba (1991), Fateh (1991), and Vishwatma (1992).

## Early Life

Sonam was born as Bakhtavar Khan to her parents Mushir Khan and Talat Khan. She is a granddaughter of actor Murad. Actor Raza Murad is Sonam's maternal uncle and actress Sanober Kabir is her cousin. Khan adopted the screen-name 'Sonam', which was suggested to her by filmmaker Yash Chopra.

## Career
### 1987–1988: Debut and breakthrough

Her first release was the Telugu film Samrat, opposite Ramesh Babu, in the year 1987, which was a remake of the 1983 Hindi film Betaab. Yash Chopra launched Sonam in Hindi cinema with the 1988 ensemble film Vijay, in which she was paired opposite Rishi Kapoor.

### 1989–1994: Professional expansion

In 1989, Sonam had nine film releases. She gained wide recognition that year with the song "Oye Oye...Tirchi Topi Wale" from the action film Tridev. It was directed by Rajiv Rai, and she starred in it alongside Naseeruddin Shah. The film ranks among the highest-grossing films of the year. She also gained appreciation for her performance in Mitti Aur Sona, co-starring Chunky Pandey.
Sonam went on to have ten releases in 1990, including the box office hit Kroadh, co-starring Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt and Amrita Singh. The same year, her only Bengali film Mandira, co-starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, also had a release. She also played the leading lady opposite Chiranjeevi in the top-grossing Telugu film Kodama Simham.
Her first release in 1991 was the multi-starrer fantasy film Ajooba with Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor. It was one of the most expensive films of its time. Khan had seven other releases in the same year out of which the action film Fateh opposite Sanjay Dutt was well received.
In 1992, she collaborated for the third time with Naseeruddin Shah in Rajiv Rai's Vishwatma, an action thriller, which was one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of that year. During filming, she developed a close bond with her co-star Divya Bharti, who died in 1993.
Following Sonam's marriage to Rajiv Rai, she completed a few projects that she had already committed to before her marriage. These included films such as Baaz (1992) opposite Govinda, Police Wala (1993) opposite Chunky Pandey, and Insaaf Apne Lahoo Se (1994) opposite Sanjay Dutt. She did not sign any new film projects after her marriage, focusing only on finishing the ones she had already begun.

## Personal life

In 1991, Sonam married director Rajiv Rai, who had directed her in the films, Tridev and Vishwatma. Rai is the son of film producer Gulshan Rai, the founder of the banner Trimurti Films. After marriage, Sonam quit acting to focus on her family. The couple has a son, who was diagnosed with autism. They lived in Los Angeles, London and many other countries before eventually settling in Europe. However, their marriage deteriorated, and they separated in 2001. In 2016, they officially divorced, 15 years after their separation.
Khan returned to India in the 2020s, making her first public appearance after 30 years at Mumbai's Jio World Plaza in 2023. As of 2024, she lives in Mumbai with her son. She has expressed a desire to return to acting.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Language |
| 1987 | Samrat [te] | Rekha aka Honey | Telugu |
| 1988 | Vijay | Nisha Mehra | Hindi |
| 1988 | Aakhri Adaalat | Nisha Sharma | Hindi |
| 1988 | Mugguru Kodukulu | Sobha Rani | Telugu |
| 1989 | Aakhri Ghulam | Sonam | Hindi |
| 1989 | Aakhri Baazi | Sapna | Hindi |
| 1989 | Tridev | Renuka | Hindi |
| 1989 | Mitti Aur Sona | Anupama / Neelima | Hindi |
| 1989 | Sachai Ki Taqat | Rekha | Hindi |
| 1989 | Na-Insaafi | Rita | Hindi |
| 1989 | Asmaan Se Ooncha | Sonam | Hindi |
| 1989 | Gola Barood | | Hindi |
| 1989 | Hum Bhi Insaan Hain | Soni | Hindi |
| 1990 | Kroadh | Sonu | Hindi |
| 1990 | Pyar Ka Karz | Mona | Hindi |
| 1990 | Jeene Do | Sujata | Hindi |
| 1990 | Naakabandi | Sonia | Hindi |
| 1990 | Mandira | Mandira | Bengali |
| 1990 | Chor Pe Mor | Basanti | Hindi |
| 1990 | Aaj Ke Shahenshah | Barkha | Hindi |
| 1990 | Kodama Simham | | Telugu |
| 1990 | Apmaan Ki Aag | Mona | Hindi |
| 1990 | Shera Shamshera | Durga | Hindi |
| 1991 | Raiszaada | | Hindi |
| 1991 | Swarg Jaisaa Ghar | Asha | Hindi |
| 1991 | Ajooba | Shehzadi Heena | Hindi |
| 1991 | Dushman Devta | Ganga | Hindi |
| 1991 | Fateh | Sahira | Hindi |
| 1991 | Kohraam | Dhanno | Hindi |
| 1991 | Do Matwale | Sonu | Hindi |
| 1992 | Vishwatma | Renuka | Hindi |
| 1992 | Baaz | | Hindi |
| 1993 | Police Wala | Meenakshi | Hindi |
| 1994 | Do Fantoosh | Nimmo | Hindi |
| 1994 | Insaaf Apne Lahoo Se | Nisha | Hindi |
| 1994 | Insaniyat | Radha | Hindi |