Sooraj Pancholi shares Salman Khan was first person he contacted after court: ‘He has done more than anyone else'

On Friday, Sooraj Pancholi was acquitted in the death case of Jiah Khan, his then girlfriend. The actor had been arrested in June 2013 on abetment of suicide charges. On April 28, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court judge AS Sayyed stated the final verdict and cleared Sooraj in the case, citing ‘paucity of evidence’. Sooraj was accompanied for the court visit with his mother, actor Zarina Wahab. He shared that Salman Khan was the first person whom he sent a message after exiting the court. The actor had shared that Salman has been there, supporting him over the past decade. (Also read: EXCLUSIVE| Sooraj Pancholi opens up in tell-all interview after acquittal: Only I was there for Jiah Khan in her worst time, not her family)

Sooraj and Athiya Shetty made their debuts in Hero (2015), directed by Nikkhil Advani. The film was co-produced by Salman and filmmaker Subhash Ghai. The film was a remake of Subhash's 1983 musical hit film Hero, with Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri. Sooraj's father, actor Aditya Pancholi was also part of the film.

In an interview with Bombay Times, Sooraj revealed, “Salman Khan is not a friend of my father or mother. Of course, they know each other as they all work in the same industry. I was an AD on Ek Tha Tiger and he had told me that he will produce my first film. I was accused in 2013 two years before that film (Hero) came out, and he still produced that film and stood by me.”

The actor continued, "He has done more than anyone else for me, but I know my limits and I won’t exploit that bond. I have met him a hundred times, but never for work. He was the first person I messaged as soon as I left the court. He had told me, ‘Sooraj, if you know in your heart that you haven’t done anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about."

Sooraj started out as an assistant director on the films Guzaarish (2010) and Ek Tha Tiger (2012). After Hero, he appeared in the films Satellite Shankar (2019) and Time to Dance (2021). He is set to play the lead role in the biopic on legendary boxer Hawa Singh, although no release date has been shared as yet for the film.