Actor Sooraj Pancholi, who is set to return to the big screen with his upcoming film Kesari Veer, has opened up about what he describes as the most traumatic chapter of his life — the long and public legal battle in connection with the Jiah Khan suicide case. In a recent interview, Sooraj reflected on being under constant scrutiny and the emotional toll of a legal process that stretched over a decade. Despite the option to take an early discharge, the actor said he chose to go through the full trial to avoid lingering public doubt.
In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sooraj said, “All the fingers were pointing towards me during the trial, and when you know you have not done anything wrong, it’s very difficult for you to explain. I could have taken a discharge and gotten acquitted years ago, but I told my lawyer, ‘If I get free right now, people would think it happened due to… because I have a golden spoon in my mouth. Maybe that’s why I’m acquitted.’ That’s why I told my dad, I wanted to go through the trial. I don’t know how long it will take, but in the trial all the questions will be answered in court… people will get to know who did the right and the wrong., I went through a 12-year court procedure, and I won my trial on my merit.”
Also Read | Suniel Shetty says Kesari Veer is Sooraj Pancholi’s second chance: ‘Boy has seen a lot, reminds me of Ahan’
Even after the court’s verdict, Sooraj Pancholi says the shadow of media judgment continues to linger, with online commentary ignoring his acquittal. He pointed to a lack of support during the trial, adding that misinformation and sensationalism often took center stage. “The media never supported me through the trial. Nobody was in my corner because people wanted to get the masala. The mistake that I made was that I didn’t speak up for myself. A lot of people told me that I shouldn’t. But today I feel like maybe I should have stood up for myself. They would have heard my side of the story which I have never spoken about and I never will. People don’t see that I have actually gone through trial and I’m acquitted. People still comment and say ‘Justice for whoever’.What justice? I went through the entire justice system for 12 years. I sacrificed my entire career.”
Sooraj, who made his Bollywood debut with Salman Khan’s backing in Hero, also acknowledged the superstar’s continuous support throughout his legal ordeal. “Salman sir only asked me one thing, ‘Sooraj have you done something wrong?’ and once I said no sir, he never questioned me after that. Also, he has the experience of going through a media trial. So maybe he was a good judge of trusting me at that point.”
