Bakhtawar Murad Khan better known by her screenname Sonam (born on 2 September 1972, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

) is a former Bollywood

Bollywood

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 actress. She is the niece of actor Raza Murad

Raza Murad

Raza Murad is an Indian actor working primarily in Hindi films. He has acted in over 200 Bollywood films.He is the son of renowned Bollywood character actor Murad. He is also the first cousin of Zeenat Aman, his uncle being Amanullah Khan, writer of Mughal-e-Azam and Pakeezah. His niece Sonam was...

 and great-niece of veteran actor Murad

Murad (actor)

Murad was an Indian character actor who appeared more than 100 Bollywood films from the early 1940s through to the end of the 1980s playing character roles ranging from a father, uncle, police officer, courtroom judge or an emperor. His son Raza Murad is also an actor in the Bollywood industry who...

. Her cousin is actress Sanober Kabir.

Career

Sonam was named by her parents (Mushir Khan - father) as "Bakhtawar" which is used in Arabic meaning fortunate or lucky. She renamed herself Sonam to have a milder sounding name to suit the Indian film industry. Interestingly the name Sonam is of Tibetan origin and means "The fortunate one".

She first entered India's Hindi film industry Bollywood

Bollywood

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 after being launched by Yash Chopra

Yash Chopra

Yash Raj Chopra is an Indian filmmaker, film director, screenwriter, and a highly successful Bollywood producer. Waqt, Deewar, Kabhi Kabhie, Silsila, Lamhe, Chandni, Darr, Dil To Pagal Hai, and Veer-Zaara are some of his highly popular movies...

 in the 1988 film Vijay

Vijay (film)

Vijay is a 1988 Bollywood film directed by Yash Chopra and starring Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles. Anupam Kher won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance...

. She shot to fame with the 1989 film Tridev

Tridev

Tridev is a 1989 Indian film directed by Rajiv Rai. The movie is an action-packed saga of three men — Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff — standing up against a crime lord called Bhujang , who has plans to spread menace in the country...

. She was known for the song Oye Oye...Tirchi Topi Wale in the film which was very popular at the time. She was also recognized for her performance in Mitti Aur Sona. Earlier, she was known as a sex symbol

Sex symbol

A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...

. She married Rajiv Rai

Rajiv Rai

Rajiv Rai is an Indian film writer, editor and director. He is the son of the late producer Gulshan Rai. He has directed all this films under his father's production company Trimurti Films...

 at the age of 19 and declared that she was quiting. She appeared in over 30 films from 1988 through to 1994.

Personal life

After marrying Bollywood film director Rajiv Rai

Rajiv Rai

Rajiv Rai is an Indian film writer, editor and director. He is the son of the late producer Gulshan Rai. He has directed all this films under his father's production company Trimurti Films...

, who had directed her in Tridev

Tridev

Tridev is a 1989 Indian film directed by Rajiv Rai. The movie is an action-packed saga of three men — Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff — standing up against a crime lord called Bhujang , who has plans to spread menace in the country...

and Vishwatma

Vishwatma

Vishwatma is a 1992 Indian action film directed by Rajiv Rai. This film marked the Hindi film debut of the late actress Divya Bharti and Jyotsna Singh who did not appear in any other films after this. The film was a boxoffice success...

in 1991 at the age of 19, she left the industry. Her father-in-law was the successful film producer Gulshan Rai

Gulshan Rai

Gulshan Rai was a producer and distributor for Hindi films. He produced successful films in the 1970s directed by Yash Chopra and in the 1990s directed by his son Rajiv Rai....

. She had to leave India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 with Rajiv Rai in 1997, after an attempt was made on his life by the Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

 organized crime

Organized crime

Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...

 leader Abu Salem

Abu Salem

Abu Salem is an underworld don originally from Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, India. He is convicted for the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case and killing of India's music baron Gulshan Kumar in 1997. He has unsuccessfully attempted to kill Bollywood film directors Rajiv Rai and Rakesh Roshan....

. She is now settled with her husband in Switzerland. A son was born to her in May 1992 named Gaurav Rai. Rajiv still occasionally continues to direct Bollywood films.

Filmography

Year	Title	Co-Star
1988	Vijay Vijay (film) Vijay is a 1988 Bollywood film directed by Yash Chopra and starring Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini, Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles. Anupam Kher won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance...	Rishi Kapoor Rishi Kapoor Rishi Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor, film producer and director.-Early life:Born in Chembur Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and star Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Campion School,Mumbai. His brothers are well-known actors: Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv...
1988	Aakhri Adaalat	Jackie Shroff Jackie Shroff Jackie Shroff is an Indian actor. He has been in the industry for more than 28 years and has appeared in over 150 films.-Personal life:...
1989	Tridev Tridev Tridev is a 1989 Indian film directed by Rajiv Rai. The movie is an action-packed saga of three men — Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff — standing up against a crime lord called Bhujang , who has plans to spread menace in the country...	Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
1989	Mitti Aur Sona	Chunky Pandey Chunky Pandey Suyash 'Chunky' Pandey is an Indian film actor who has appeared in various Bollywood films. He has appeared in over 55 movies in a career that has spanned over two decades and has been nominated once for his supportive role in Tezaab...
1989	Sacha Ki Taqat	Govinda Govinda ' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
1989	Asmaan Se Oocha	Govinda Govinda ' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
1989	Gola Barood	Chunky Pandey Chunky Pandey Suyash 'Chunky' Pandey is an Indian film actor who has appeared in various Bollywood films. He has appeared in over 55 movies in a career that has spanned over two decades and has been nominated once for his supportive role in Tezaab...
1989	Hum Bhi Insaan Hain	Raj Babbar Raj Babbar Raj Babbar is a Hindi & Punjabi film actor since 1977 and the current Member of Parliament from Firozabad which he won by defeating Dimple Yadav, wife of Akhilesh Yadav & daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav. This is his fourth term as MP, in previous terms he was the part of Samajwadi...
1990	Kodama Simham Kodama Simham Kodama Simham is a 1990 Telugu film starring Chiranjeevi in the lead role. Mohan Babu, Bollywood actor Pran, Sonam, and Radha play other important roles.-Cast:* Chiranjeevi* Mohan Babu* Satyanarayana...	Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi Chiranjeevi is a Telugu film actor and a politician. He has appeared primarily in Telugu Cinema along with a few Tamil, Kannada and Hindi films. He made his acting debut in Punadhirallu . However, Pranam Khareedu released at the box office earlier...
1990	Krodh Krodh Krodh is derived from the Sanskrit word krodha, which means wrath or Rage. This is an emotion recognized in the Sikh system as a spring of desire and is as such counted as one of the Five Evils....	Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
1991	Ajooba Ajooba Ajooba is a 1991 Hindi language Bollywood feature film, produced and directed by Shashi Kapoor and also co-directed by the Soviet filmmaker Gennadi Vasilyev. It is a fantasy film loosely based on Arabian mythology...	Rishi Kapoor Rishi Kapoor Rishi Kapoor is an Indian Bollywood actor, film producer and director.-Early life:Born in Chembur Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and star Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Campion School,Mumbai. His brothers are well-known actors: Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv...
1991	Fateh Fateh Fateh may refer to:Language* PunJaBi/Urdu Fateh meaning ViCtoryPlaces, Political groups and Masjids* Fatah, a Palestinian political affiliation* Fateh Oil Field, a prominent oil-producing area in the Persian Gulf near Dubai.* Fateh-110, a missile...	Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
1991	Ajooba Kudrat Ka Ajooba Kudrat Ka Ajooba Kudrat Kaa or Ajooba Kudrat Ka is a 1991 Bollywood Thriller film directed by Shyam Ramsay & Tulsi Ramsay who are famous for their Horror/Thriller films....	Hemant Birje Hemant Birje Hemant Birje is a Bollywood film actor. In 1985, he debuted as Tarzan in Babbar Subhash' s Adventures of Tarzan, also starring Kimi Katkar. He has had mixed success in later films. He was a regular actor in Mithun Chakraborty films. In 2005, Birje appeared in Garv: Pride and Honour, starring...
1991	Do Matwale	Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt Sanjay Dutt is an Indian Hindi film actor and politician. Dutt, son of Hindi film actors Sunil and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981.-Personal life:...
1992	Vishwatma Vishwatma Vishwatma is a 1992 Indian action film directed by Rajiv Rai. This film marked the Hindi film debut of the late actress Divya Bharti and Jyotsna Singh who did not appear in any other films after this. The film was a boxoffice success...	Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian / Bollywood film actor and director. He is considered to be one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. In 2003, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan for his contributions towards Indian cinema.-Early life:...
1992	Baaz Baaz Baaz is an Hindi film released in 1953, directed by Guru Dutt. This film is Guru Dutt's first starring film, an action film packed with adventure staged mainly on a ship.-Plot:The 16th century, the Malabar Coast...	Govinda Govinda ' and ' are names of Krishna, referring to his youthful occupation as a cowherd. He is regarded as the Supreme Godhead in the Vaishnava tradition and also by much of the pan-Hindu tradition...
1994	Insaniyat Insaniyat Insaniyat is an Urdu word meaning Humanity and is the title of the following Hindi films :-*Insaniyat starring Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand* Insaaniyat starring Shashi Kapoor*Insaniyat starring Kimi Katkar...	Chunky Pandey Chunky Pandey Suyash 'Chunky' Pandey is an Indian film actor who has appeared in various Bollywood films. He has appeared in over 55 movies in a career that has spanned over two decades and has been nominated once for his supportive role in Tezaab...

External links