Sonam (actress)

Sonam (actress)
Sonam Khan (born Bakhtavar Khan) is an Indian actress and former model known for her works in Bollywood and Telugu cinema. She is the niece of actor Raza Murad and granddaughter of veteran actor Murad. She was paired with actors such as Govinda (actor), Chunky Pandey, Rishi Kapoor, Mithun Chakraborty, Chiranjeevi, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Raj Babbar, Aditya Pancholi and Naseeruddin Shah. Some of her notable films include Vijay, Tridev, Mitti Aur Sona, Lashkar, Kroadh, Kodama Simham, Ajooba and Vishwatma. She appeared in over 35 films during 1987 through to 1994.
Career
1987-88: Debut & Breakthrough
Sonam was named by her parents (Mushir Khan - father and Talat Khan- Mother) as "Bakhtavar". "Sonam" is her screen-name, which was suggested by Yash Chopra to be more marketable in the Indian film industry. Her first release was the Telugu language movie Samrat opposite Ramesh Babu in 1987. She made her debut in the Bollywood industry after being launched by Yash Chopra in the 1988 film Vijay opposite Rishi Kapoor.
Professional Expansion (1989 - 1994)
She had nine releases in 1989 and shot to fame that year with the film Tridev where the popular song Oye Oye...Tirchi Topi Wale was picturised on her and established her as a sex symbol. She received critical acclaim in Mitti Aur Sona where she played a complex dual role of a college student who has to work odd jobs to sustain her livelihood.
Sonam had ten releases in 1990 including the box office hit Kroadh and her only Bengali language movie Mandira. She was also seen in the Telugu language super hit Kodama Simham opposite Chiranjeevi.
Her first release in 1991 was the multi-starrer Ajooba with Amitabh Bachchan, Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor. This was one of the most expensive films of its time. She had seven other releases that year of which Fateh opposite Sanjay Dutt did well at the box office.
In 1992, she collaborated for the third and last time with Naseeruddin Shah in the big budget Vishwatma which did well theatrically. Post her marriage, she appeared selectively and featured in movies like Baaz (1992) opposite Govinda, Police Wala opposite Chunky Pandey (1993) and Insaaf Apne Lahoo Se (1994) opposite Sanjay Dutt.
Personal life
In 1991, Sonam married director Rajiv Rai, who had directed her in two very successful films, Tridev and Vishwatma. Rajiv was the son of successful film producer Gulshan Rai, founder of the banner Trimurti Films. Whereas Sonam was a Muslim, Rajiv and his family were Hindus from Punjab. After marriage, Sonam quit acting and devoted herself to her family. The couple soon had a son, Gaurav Rai. However they later divorced.
During the period when bollywood was in the grip of the underworld mafia, Sonam came under pressure from gangster Abu Salem, who had previously had some dealings with her. In 1997, she had to leave India with her husband and son after an attempt was made on her husband's life by gunmen working for organized crime leader Abu Salem. The couple moved initially to Los Angeles and then settled in Switzerland for nearly two decades. However, the marriage deteriorated because of the troubles being faced by them from the underworld, and professional frustrations which both of them underwent because they could not pursue their respective careers in India. In 2016, after 15 years of separation, Sonam and Rajiv Rai finally divorced.
Filmography
References
External links
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Actresses in Telugu cinema
Indian female models
Indian film actresses
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Indian expatriates in the United States
Actresses from Mumbai
20th-century Indian actresses