Sonakshi Sinha, popularly known as Bollywood’s “Dabangg” girl, has been in the spotlight once again, but this time due to her rumored relationship with Zaheer Iqbal.
Sonakshi’s marriage rumors with Zaheer sparked controversy, with some individuals labeling it as “love jihad,” a term that has been controversially used in India to suggest forced religious conversion through marriage. However, Sonakshi is no stranger to controversies, having been linked to various disputes throughout her career and personal life.
Born into a prominent Bollywood family, Sonakshi is the daughter of veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha and former Miss Young India winner, Poonam Sinha. She made her Bollywood debut in 2010 with the superhit movie *Dabangg*, starring opposite Salman Khan. Her iconic dialogue, “Thappad se dar nahi lagta sahab, pyaar se lagta hai” (“I’m not afraid of a slap, I’m afraid of love”), became widely popular and showcased her dynamic screen presence. Her role in *Dabangg* earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
Following her successful debut, Sonakshi continued to climb the ladder of success in Bollywood with hit films like *Rowdy Rathore* (2012) alongside Akshay Kumar, *Son of Sardaar* (2012) with Ajay Devgn, and *Dabangg 2* (2012) again with Salman Khan. She gained critical appreciation for her performance in *Lootera* (2013), opposite Ranveer Singh, which further established her versatility as an actress.
Despite these successes, Sonakshi’s career has seen its share of ups and downs. While movies like *Akira*, *Force 2*, and *Tevar* failed to make an impact at the box office, she ventured into the digital space with the OTT platform through the web series *Dahaad* in 2023. In 2024, she appeared in the much-talked-about Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed series *Heera Mandi*, which added to her list of critically acclaimed performances.
Beyond her professional achievements, Sonakshi’s personal life and remarks have led her into multiple controversies. One of the early major incidents occurred when her tax returns for the financial year 2017-2018 were investigated. It was alleged that Sonakshi filed her tax return in September 2018 but delayed filing a form for claiming a tax credit, resulting in the claim being denied. This issue escalated, becoming a matter of public scrutiny.
In another high-profile incident, Sonakshi was sued by an event organizer from Moradabad. The organizer claimed that she took payment to attend an event but failed to show up, leading to significant financial losses for the organizer. A legal case was filed against Sonakshi and her team in 2019, marking yet another controversy in her career.
Sonakshi also faced backlash when she appeared on *Kaun Banega Crorepati* (India’s version of *Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?*), where she couldn’t answer a simple question from the epic *Ramayana*. She had to use a lifeline to answer who Hanuman brought the “Sanjeevani Booti” for. Social media erupted, mocking her general knowledge under the hashtag #YoSonakshiSoDumb. While Sonakshi initially shrugged it off with humor, the controversy deepened when actor Mukesh Khanna criticized her lack of cultural knowledge, sparking a war of words with her father, Shatrughan Sinha.
The most persistent rumor has been the speculation regarding her parentage. Some people have claimed that Sonakshi resembles actress Reena Roy, leading to gossip that Reena could be her real mother. This rumor traces back to Shatrughan Sinha’s long-standing relationship with Reena Roy before he married Poonam Sinha. Both Sonakshi and her parents have denied these claims, attributing her appearance to natural coincidences.
Despite facing numerous controversies, Sonakshi continues to thrive in the film industry, choosing roles that resonate with her, while navigating the challenges that come with being a public figure.
