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India Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Sooraj Pancholi says Bollywood is caught in a vicious cycle: It's destroying itself
"I want to go for a holiday, but my PR is not letting me go," Sooraj Pancholi quipped, as we caught up with him over a call on the weekend. The actor's latest release, 'Kesari Veer', may not have performed well at the box office, but his performance was appreciated by both fans and the on the feedback he received, the 34-year-old told India Today, 'My friends and family, of course, liked the film; they are my well-wishers. But many did tell me how I have improved. They mentioned how I am more confident and emoted well. But I am not someone who takes compliments too seriously. Now that the film is done, I am focusing on my next one.'advertisementOne of the most heartening messages came from Salman Khan, whom Sooraj considers a mentor. Recalling the moment, he said with a smile, 'It was a day prior to the release, and Bhai called me home. He just said that it's been a while since I posted a photo with you. Come, let's do it. It was all about that... it was just in the moment of him being him.' Sooraj, the son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, was under the scanner following the death of his then-girlfriend, actor Jiah Khan, in 2013. In April 2023, a CBI Special Court acquitted him due to lack of asked if what he underwent had left any kind of resentment in him, the actor replied, "I don't know what to say on this, I mean, how do I change so many minds; the damage has been done. How many interviews do I give? How many people do I talk to? It drains me. I am currently living for myself, and am not bothered about what anyone thinks of me. At this point, I really don't care. I just surround myself with good people and motivation. Sometimes, maybe falling in love also distracts you." So are you in love, we asked. "I don't know. I don't know, you know. I am not sure about it," Sooraj replied with a shy made his debut with 'Hero' in 2015, Sooraj also opened up about the negativity that he feels has come to cloud the film industry. He said that the media keeps talking about why Bollywood is not working, and when a film is released, it is that the industry is trapped in a vicious cycle where everyone is feeding off each other, Sooraj said, "Bollywood is destroying itself; they are releasing films on the same day when they have other opportunities. There are big Hollywood films coming in that are eating up the business. My film was released with Mission: Impossible and Final Destination, both very big films. I think the distributors and producers and actors, everyone's just eating into each other's skin, which is, you know, creating a downfall in the industry."When asked what could be the solution to this, Sooraj Pancholi said, "I think people just need to be a little more [kind]. There are no ethics and personal connections any more. I think people need to work on building stronger personal relationships. Nowadays, actors don't want to work with each other. There are producers who are releasing films together because they have a tiff with each other. No one wants to work together. There's a lack of unity, let me put it that way." You May Also Like
News18
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Maintained Himself': Aditya Pancholi On Sooraj's Comeback With Kesari Veer
Last Updated: The film follows the real story of a Rajput warrior, Hamirji Gohil, who fights the Tughlaq Empire to protect the Somnath Temple Sooraj Pancholi is all set to make his acting comeback, nearly three years after, with the upcoming historical action drama, Kesari Veer: The Legends of Somnath. Directed by Prince Dhiman and Kanubhai Chauhan, the film will be hitting the theatres on May 23. Ahead of its release, the makers hosted a grand screening of their film at a theatre in Mumbai, in the presence of several renowned Bollywood celebs. Among all, Sooraj's parents, actor Aditya Pancholi and Zareena Wahab, were also present at the premiere and showered praise on their son's performance. Speaking to Instant Bollywood, Aditya said, 'I am really proud of him because he maintained himself during the tough times," implying too Sooraj's high-profile case regarding actress Jiah Khan's suicide. However, after a decade-long legal battle, the CBI Special Court acquitted the actor due to a lack of evidence in 2023. The Race 2 actor added, 'He didn't let all that negativity go into his head. I wish that the audience loves the film and says 'Har Hai Mahadev'." Veteran actress Zareena Wahab, on the other hand, shared, 'The film was very good and I wish everyone all the best." Apart from Sooraj, the film also features Suniel Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, Akanksha Sharma, Barkha Bisht, Aruna Irani, Bhavya Gandhi and Shiva Rindani in significant roles. The film follows the real story of a Rajput warrior, Hamirji Gohil (played by Sooraj), who fights the Tughlaq Empire to protect the Somnath Temple. The film highlights his bravery and sacrifice in protecting the temple and the Hindu faith. Recently, during the trailer launch event of the film, Suniel praised Sooraj for his dedication to the film. The Hera Pheri actor said, 'Sooraj has seen a lot. He now has a second chance. Believe me, Mahadev (Lord Shiva) has given him this opportunity. As you can see in the movie, he is unbelievably good It feels like I'm watching Ahan every time I see him on screen. He has made that kind of effort. And the same sort of affection." The film will be facing a big Bollywood clash with RajKummar Rao and Wamiqa Gabbi's upcoming comedy entertainer, Bhool Chuk Maaf. First Published:
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Jiah Khan "Tried To Call Sooraj Pancholi" The Day She Died, Reveals Actor's Mother Zarina Wahab
Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab's son Sooraj Pancholi was accused of abetting Jiah Khan's suicide (2013). After a decade-long legal battle, CBI Special Court acquitted Sooraj due to lack of evidence in 2023. Sooraj Pancholi, who was about to debut around the time of Jia's death, was grilled on social media for his relationship with the Nishabd actress. Sooraj's mother Zarina Wahab has now come out in the defence of her son and revealed they were not together before Jiah's death. Zarina Wahab also revealed that Jiah tried to "reach out to Sooraj" the day she died as she was "upset" after being rejected for a Telugu film. During a conversation with Nayandeep Rakshit, Zarina Wahab said, "I want to clear one thing that a lot of people think about Sooraj. When they (Jiah and Sooraj) were friends, Salman was launching him. Then I told him that Salman is going to launch you, (so) stop (this)! Then he went and told her, my parents don't want us to meet and your mother also doesn't want us to meet. So let's break up. "Then she said, 'can I come and meet you sometimes?' So he told her, 'you can come and meet me as a friend but not as a girlfriend.' The incident happened a month before their breakup. No one knows about this. In fact, she was going to South for a Telugu film around the same time in June. On the spot, she was rejected and she was very depressed." Zarina shared that Jiah called Sooraj the day she died but he couldn't respond to her due to work commitments. When he responded, it was already too late. "She (Jiah) was so depressed that she was trying to call Sooraj. But his classes were going on because of some shooting. He couldn't take her call, and when he later saw his phone, he texted her, 'I'm free now, if you want to call me, call.' "But by then, she had already passed away. And now everyone says he did this, he did that... It's so wrong. The poor girl was really sweet, but only God knows what truly happened to her," said Zarina Wahab. Zarina also revealed that Jiah was upset after being rejected for a Telugu film that eventually went to Rakul Preet Singh. "Sooraj had even sent her a bouquet when she told him she was trying her luck in the South. "Whatever happened, it wasn't good, but people misunderstood. How many people can you go around explaining things to? But he (Sooraj) went through a lot," she concluded. Sooraj Pancholi will next be seen in Kesari Veer alongside Vivek Oberoi, Suniel Shetty. The film will release in theatres on May 23.
India.com
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Jiah Khan was depressed about THIS, says Zarina Wahab: ‘She called Suraj…'
After Jiah Khan's death, Sooraj Pancholi's life changed completely. The incident occurred on June 3, 2013, when Jiah Khan was found dead at her residence in Juhu, Mumbai. Her body was discovered in her own home, and Sooraj was accused of abetting her suicide. The legal battle lasted for nearly 10 years, and in 2023, the CBI Special Court acquitted Sooraj due to a lack of evidence. Now, in an interview, Sooraj's mother, Zarina Wahab, has spoken about the events surrounding Jiah's death and what her son went through at that time. Zarina revealed that at the time of Jiah's death, she and Sooraj were no longer together. Sooraj Pancholi's breakup with Jiah Khan Zarina Wahab told in an interview with Nayandeep Rakshit, 'I want to clear one thing that a lot of people think about Sooraj. When they (Jiah and Sooraj) were friends, Salman was launching him. Then I told him that Salman is going to launch you, so stop this! Then he went and told her, 'My parents don't want us to meet and your mother also doesn't want us to meet. So let's break up.' Then she said, 'Can I come and meet you sometime?' So he told her, 'You can come and meet me as a friend but not as a girlfriend.' The incident happened a month before their breakup. No one knows about this. In fact, she was going to South for a Telugu film around the same time in June. On the spot, she was rejected, and she was very depressed.' Zarina, who was last seen in Devara: Part 1, told that on the day of her death, Jiah had tried to contact Sooraj. She said in the same interview, 'She was so depressed that she was trying to call Sooraj. But his classes were going on because of a shooting. He couldn't take her call, and when he later saw his phone, he texted her, 'I'm free now, if you want to call me, call.' But by then, she had already passed away. And now everyone says he did this, he did that… It's so wrong. The poor girl was really sweet, but only God knows what truly happened with her.' Zarina Wahab on Aditya Pancholi's Extramarital Affairs Over the years, Aditya Pancholi's name has been linked with several women from the film industry. A few were Kangana Ranaut and Pooja Bedi. Despite the controversies, Zarina always remained calm. She talked about what people used to gossip about Aditya's relationships with other women. 'People think I am very stressed. They simply assume that 'she must be unhappy because Aditya is seeing this and that girl' nobody says, 'Yeh ladki dekh rahi hai inko'.' Jiah Khan made her Bollywood debut in 2007 with Nishabd, starring alongside Amitabh Bachchan. She later appeared in successful films like Aamir Khan's Ghajini and Akshay Kumar's Housefull, which turned out to be her last movie.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Zarina Wahab say Sooraj Pancholi broke up with Jiah Khan a month before her death: ‘She was rejected and very depressed'
Sooraj Pancholi 's life took a drastic turn on June 3, 2013, when Jiah Khan was found dead in her Mumbai residence. The tragedy triggered a media storm and a prolonged legal battle, as the young actor, then on the brink of his Bollywood debut, was accused of abetment to suicide. After ten emotionally gruelling years, a CBI Special Court acquitted Sooraj in 2023 due to lack of evidence. Now, in a rare and emotional interview with Nayandeep Rakshit, Sooraj's mother, veteran actress Zarina Wahab , has opened up about the darkest chapter in her family's life, offering previously unheard insights into her son's state of mind, the nature of his relationship with Jiah, and the tragic sequence of events. 'They had broken up a month before her death' Zarina revealed that Sooraj and Jiah were not together at the time of her passing. She explained that the decision to part ways came after Sooraj informed Jiah that both their families were against the relationship. 'I want to clear one thing that a lot of people think about Sooraj,' Zarina said. 'When they were friends, Salman was launching him. Then I told him that Salman is going to launch you, so stop this! Then he went and told her, 'my parents don't want us to meet, and your mother also doesn't want us to meet. So let's break up.' Then she said, 'Can I come and meet you sometimes?' So he told her, 'You can come and meet me as a friend but not as a girlfriend.' The incident happened a month before their breakup. No one knows about this.' Jiah was reportedly heartbroken over a lost film role Wahab also touched upon a critical detail about Jiah's state of mind before her death. The actress was allegedly rejected from a Telugu film that later cast Rakul Preet Singh in the lead role, leaving her deeply disheartened. 'She was going to South for a Telugu film around the same time in June. On the spot, she was rejected and she was very depressed,' Zarina said, adding that Sooraj had tried to encourage Jiah by sending her a bouquet when she mentioned trying her luck in the South. 'She tried to call Sooraj, but he was in class' Zarina revealed the heartbreaking detail that Jiah had tried to reach out to Sooraj on the day of her death. 'She was so depressed that she was trying to call Sooraj. But his classes were going on because of some shooting. He couldn't take her call, and when he later saw his phone, he texted her, 'I'm free now, if you want to call me, call.' But by then, she had already passed away.' Aditya Pancholi's wife and actress Zarina Wahab speaks about 'feeling uncomfortable' due to nudity and profanity becoming extremely common on OTT platforms She added, 'Now everyone says he did this, he did that… It's so wrong. The poor girl was really sweet, but only God knows what truly happened with her.' Zarina Wahab concluded by acknowledging the immense emotional toll the case has had on her son. 'Whatever happened, it wasn't good, but people misunderstood. How many people can you go around explaining things to? But he (Sooraj) went through a lot,' she said.
