Sooraj Pancholi, who has been acquitted in abetment to suicide charges in the Jiah Khan case, shared that he spent his entire 20s in the courts.
Almost 10 years after actress Jiah Khan's death by suicide, a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Mumbai on Friday, April 28, acquitted actor Sooraj Pancholi of abetment charges. 25-year-old Jiah Khan was found dead in her suburban home on June 3, 2013.
Now, in a recent interview, Sooraj shared his feelings on getting acquitted in the case saying that he spent his entire 20s in the courts. The son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab even revealed that he lost out on a lot of work after being embroiled in legal issues for the last ten years.
Talking to Hindustan Times, the actor said, "I am still trying to believe the fact that I don’t have to go to the court anymore. I spent my entire 20s in the courts. I am 32 now. When this case was put on me, I was 21. I have been sitting in the courts every week. I am still trying to digest the fact that I am a free man because I fought a lot. It has taken a lot of my patience and courage."
Sooraj Pancholi made his acting debut in Nikkhil Advani's romantic action film Hero in 2015. The film, which also marked Suniel Shetty's daughter Athiya Shetty's Bollywood debut, was the remake of Subhash Ghai's 1983 blockbuster film of the same name, starring Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri.
The actor added that he has lot out on a lot of work because of the perception he got because of the Jiah Khan's case. "Actors, cricketers need a good perception around them. I was made into this ‘evil monster’ when I was only 20 years old. It was not in my control because I faced a virtual media trial, where there was no investigation, no research, and no evidence. My entire trial was a media trial. It was all hearsay. That’s what made it even worse and it took 10 years", said Sooraj.
READ | 'Who will give me 10 years of my life back': Sooraj Pancholi says it took courage to face allegations in Jiah Khan case
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sooraj Pancholi/Instagram")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}