Sonu Sood, an actor, film producer, model, humanitarian, and philanthropist, held a special place in the hearts of film viewers and the general public with his generosity and good work, especially in the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Early Life
Sonu Sood was born on July 30, 1973, in Moga, Punjab. His father, Shakti Sagar Sood, owned a clothing showroom. His mother, Saroj Sood, was a teacher. He has two sisters: Monika Sood, a scientist, and Malvika Sachar, a politician with the Indian National Congress. Sonu grew up in Moga before moving to Nagpur for higher education. He developed an interest in acting during college, inspired by icons like Amitabh Bachchan.
Sonu completed his schooling at Sacred Heart School, Moga. He pursued a B.Tech in Electronics Engineering at Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur. During his second year, he began modeling, balancing academics with his growing passion for the entertainment industry. After graduation, he moved to Mumbai to pursue acting, working briefly at his father’s showroom in Moga.
Sonu Sood on Screen
Sonu started his career with modeling, participating in the Grasim Mr. India contest in 1996, reaching the top five. He appeared in commercials for brands like Airtel and Apollo Tyres. In 1999, he debuted in the Tamil film Kallazhagar, playing a supporting role. That year, he also featured in Nenjinile. In 2000, he played an antagonist in the Telugu film Hands Up!.
Sonu made his Hindi film debut with “Shaheed-E-Azam (2002),” where he played the role of Bhagat Singh. He then acted in Mani Rathnam’s Yuva (2004) and musical hits like Sheesha (2004) and Ashik Banaya Aapne (2004).
He was also nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Ashutosh Gowarikar’s “Jodhaa Akbar (2008).” Sonu played Rajkumar Sujamal the cousin of Jodha Bai.His subtle performance was lauded by critics universaly.
He then starred in the comedy Singh is King with Akshay Kumar, and Katrina Kaif. the film was a big hit with Sonu getting praised for his screen presence and comic timing.
Sonu The Star
In 2008 he starred in Rajshree’s “Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi,” opposite Isha Koppikar. The film was based on a story by famous Bengali writer Ashapurna Devi. He played a man supoorting his fiancee’s decison to call of her wedding to support her family.
In Telugu horror-fantasy Arundhati (2009) directed by Kodi Ramakrishna, Sonu portrayed the villain Pasupathy. His menacing portrayal won him a Nandi Award Award for Best Villain and a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor (Telugu) Award. In Dabangg (2010) directed by Abhinav Kashyap, Sonu played Chedi Singh, opposite Salman Khan. His charismatic villainy earned an Apsara Award and an IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
Over the years, he has been part of many famous films like “City of Life (2009),” “Vishnuvardhana (2011),” “Bbuddah… Hoga Tera Baap (2011),” “Uu Kodathara? Ulikki Padathara? (2012),” “Julai (2012),” “Shootout at Wadala (2013),” “Ramaiya Vastavaiya (2013),” “R… Rajkumar (2013),” “Entertainment (2014),” “Aagadu (2014),” “Happy New Year (2014),” “Saagasam (2014),” “Tutak Tutak Tutiya (2016),” “Kung Fu Yoga (2017),” “Paltan (2018),” “Simmba (2018),” “Samrat Prithviraj (2022),” “Thamilarasan (2023),” “Sreemanta (2023),” and many more.
He also starred in Kung Fu Yoga (2017), a Chinese-Indian action-comedy directed by Stanley Tong, Sonu starred alongside Jackie Chan. His martial arts skills and chemistry with Chan showcased his international appeal. More recently he turned director witth action thriller Fateh (2025) starring himself with Jacqueline Fernandez, Vijay Raaz and Naseeruddin Shah.
A Heart Of Gold
However, it’s his off-screen role as a humanitarian that has garnered him widespread admiration. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sood emerged as a real-life hero, organising transport for stranded migrant workers and providing them with food and shelter. His selfless service earned him the ‘SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award’ by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Sonu Sood also founded “The Sood Charity Foundation,” which has been at the forefront of providing aid to the underprivileged. The foundation’s work spans various sectors, including medical, education, employment, and more, touching the lives of the marginalised and those affected by socio-economic challenges.
Sood’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish the production house Shakti Sagar Productions, named after his late father, and launch a social media app called Explurger, aimed at encouraging positive social interactions.
Sonu married Sonali Sood, a Telugu native from Nagpur, on September 25, 1996, during his college years. They met while studying engineering. They have two sons: Ishant (born 2002) and Ayaan (born 2010), who avoid the limelight. The family resides in Mumbai. Sonu credits Sonali for standing by him during his struggling days.
Sonu Sood on IMDB
