Sonu Sood Age, Wiki, Wife, Children, Family, Career, Net Worth

Sonu Sood is an Indian actor, producer, director, model, and philanthropist known for his work in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Punjabi cinema. 

He was born in Moga, Punjab, India, on 30 July 1973 (52 years old). He is known for films such as Dabangg, Jodhaa Akbar, Happy New Year, and Arundhati. 

He became widely admired not only for his film roles but also for his humanitarian work. 

The Sood Charity Foundation describes him as an actor and philanthropist who founded the NGO to support people in need across India. 

Quick Facts: Sonu Sood

Full Name	Sonu Sood
Profession	Actor, model, producer, director, and philanthropist
Age	52 years old
Date of Birth	30 July 1973
Nationality	Indian
Zodiac/Sun Sign	Leo
Birthplace	Moga, Punjab, India
Current Address	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Gender	Male

Sonu Sood Early Life and Education

Sonu Sood was born in Moga, Punjab, and grew up in a Punjabi family. He later moved towards modelling and acting after completing his studies. 

His early journey is often described as disciplined and ambitious. Before entering films, he completed engineering and then moved towards the entertainment industry, where he started with South Indian films before becoming a known face in Hindi cinema.

Education

Sonu Sood studied engineering before becoming an actor. He completed his B.Tech in Electronics Engineering from Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering in Nagpur. 

School	Sacred Heart School, Moga, Punjab
Alma Mater	Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur
Highest Qualification	B.Tech in Electronics Engineering

Sonu Sood Personal Life

Sonu Sood maintains a grounded and remarkably private personal life, deliberately keeping his family away from the media spotlight despite his widespread public stardom. 

Wife

Sonu Sood’s wife is Sonali Sood. Sonu met his wife, Sonali, while they were studying in Nagpur. 

The couple met in Nagpur, Maharashtra, during their college days. At the time, Sonu was pursuing his engineering degree, while Sonali was completing her MBA. She is originally from Andhra Pradesh.

Sonali stood by Sonu during his early years of struggle in Mumbai, even living with him and multiple flatmates in a small 1BHK apartment. Sonu frequently attributes both his career success and his motivation for philanthropic work to her steady support. 

They tied the knot in 1996, long before he achieved commercial cinematic fame. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Sonali plays an active backend role in managing his charity foundations while preferring to avoid public events.  

Children

Sonu Sood and his wife, Sonali, have two sons named Ishant (also known as Eshaan) and Ayaan. Both boys maintain a relatively low profile to focus on their education, but they are increasingly stepping up to support their father’s legacy of social work and philanthropy. 

Father

Shakti Sagar Sood was a cloth showroom owner and cloth merchant based in Moga, Punjab. He preferred a peaceful, small-town life and chose to stay in Punjab rather than relocate to Mumbai with Sonu. 

He passed away at the age of 77 on February 7, 2016, following a sudden cardiac arrest at their family residence in Moga. He collapsed in Sonu’s arms while they were in the middle of a casual conversation. 

Mother

Professor Saroj Sood was a highly respected English literature professor and schoolteacher in Moga. Sonu frequently refers to her as his “first teacher” and credits her with instilling the morals that drive his nationwide relief work.

She passed away on October 13, 2007, just months before Sonu’s breakthrough performance in the blockbuster film Jodha Akbar.  

Siblings

Sonu Sood has two sisters named Monika Sharma and Malvika Sood Sachar. He is the middle child and the only son of his parents. Both of his sisters are highly educated professionals who maintain strong personal and collaborative bonds with him. 

• Monika Sharma is a highly qualified pharmaceutical scientist and professional. She stays out of the media spotlight and is permanently settled with her family in the United States.
• Malvika Sood Sachar, born in 1984 in Moga, Punjab, is a qualified computer engineer with a Master’s degree in Computer Applications (MCA). She formerly worked as a software engineer and currently operates an educational institute in Moga that provides IELTS training alongside free academic support to underprivileged children. 

Relationship Status	Married
Wife	Sonali Sood
Children	Son: Ayaan Sood Son: Ishant Sood
Parents	Father: Shakti Sood Mother: Saroj Sood
Siblings	Sister: Monika Sood and Malvika Sood Sachar

Sonu Sood Career 

Sonu Sood is an Indian actor, film producer, model, humanitarian, and philanthropist who works predominantly in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil films. He is known for his performances as the negative lead in most of his films. 

Modelling and Early Television (1996 to 1998)

Before making his film debut, Sonu Sood was a competitive bodybuilder and model who participated in the Mr India contest. 

He played the role of Indian superhero Naag Raj in a television commercial as early as 1997, which gave him early screen exposure before his formal film debut. 

This period of modelling and commercial work helped him develop the physical screen presence that would later define his on-screen characters. 

Tamil Film Debut (1999)

With the release of Kallazhagar and Nenjinile in 1999, Sood was exposed to Tamil language cinema for the first time. 

Kallazhagar, directed by R. Sundarrajan, starred Vijayakanth and Rambha in the lead roles, with Sonu Sood playing a supporting villain. 

Nenjinile, directed by Fazil, starred Vineeth and Isha Koppikar, and gave him a second Tamil credit in the same year, setting the foundation for his multi-language career from the very beginning. 

Telugu Debut and Early Telugu Work (2000 to 2001)

After that, in 2000, he played the villain in the Telugu movie Hands Up! 

The film starred Jagapathi Babu and Raveena Tandon and gave him his first Telugu villain role, establishing the pattern that would define much of his Telugu career. 

His Majunu debut was in 2001. Majunu, a Telugu romantic drama, starred Tarun and Antara Mali in the lead, with Sonu Sood in a supporting role. 

This was a relatively minor appearance, but kept him active in Telugu productions as he simultaneously began pursuing his Hindi film ambitions. 

Hindi Film Debut as Bhagat Singh (2002)

Shaheed-E-Azam (2002) marked his acting debut in Hindi films, in which he portrayed Bhagat Singh. 

The biographical film directed by Sukumar Nair was one of two major Bhagat Singh biopics released that year, the other being the bigger-budgeted The Legend of Bhagat Singh starring Ajay Devgn. 

Sonu Sood’s portrayal of the revolutionary freedom fighter was well received and marked a significant tonal departure from his villain roles in South Indian films.

Mainstream Recognition Through Mani Ratnam (2003 to 2004)

In 2003, Sonu Sood appeared in Nazar, a Hindi horror thriller directed by Vickrant Mahajan opposite Ashmit Patel and Udita Goswami. 

The film received moderate attention and kept him visible in Hindi cinema. He also appeared in Devdas-inspired productions during this period in smaller capacities. 

Sood earned recognition as Abhishek Bachchan’s brother in Mani Ratnam’s Yuva in 2004. Yuva was one of the most ambitious Hindi films of that year, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Ajay Devgn, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, and Esha Deol. 

Sonu Sood’s appearance alongside this ensemble cast gave him his most prominent Hindi film association to that point in his career. 

Multi-Language Surge and Tollywood Breakthrough (2005)

2005 was his most productive year to that point. He earned recognition in Aashiq Banaya Aapne in 2005. 

The Hindi film starred Emraan Hashmi, Tanushree Dutta, and Sonu Sood and became a commercial success, giving him his first proper mainstream Hindi villain role. 

He also appeared in Sheesha opposite Neha Dhupia, Siskiyaan opposite Neha Dhupia and Sachin Khedekar, and Divorce opposite Mandira Bedi and Jackie Shroff. 

More people started paying attention to him with the 2005 release of Super, which was his breakthrough film in Tollywood. The film also starred Nagarjuna, who played a high-tech robber. Because of his role in the 2005 Telugu film Super, he became an overnight sensation. 

He also starred alongside Mahesh Babu in Athadu, directed by Trivikram Srinivas, playing the villain, further cementing his place in Telugu commercial action cinema. 

He also appeared in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, directed by Shyam Benegal, as Lt. Col. Shah Nawaz Khan. 

Telugu Villain Consolidation and International English Film (2006)

In 2006, Sonu Sood starred in Ashok, directed by S. S. Rajamouli, opposite Jr. NTR, playing the antagonist K.K. in one of the year’s biggest Telugu commercial productions. 

In 2006, he again portrayed the antagonist in Ashok. It was an average grosser, but by now, he had become popular in Telugu films. 

He also appeared in Rockin’ Meera, an English-language film, marking his crossover into international cinema and making him one of the very few Bollywood actors of that era to appear in an English-language production simultaneously.

Multi-Language Output (2007)

In 2007, Sonu Sood continued his active parallel presence in Telugu and Tamil productions. 

He appeared in the Telugu film Sainikudu opposite Mahesh Babu, directed by Srinu Vaitla, playing the villain alongside a major star cast. He also appeared in the Tamil production Sivaji, directed by S. Shankar, alongside Rajinikanth, playing the villain Adiseshan. 

Sivaji was one of the biggest Tamil films ever made at that time and gave Sonu Sood his most high-profile Tamil villain role. 

Jodhaa Akbar and Multi-Film Year (2008)

In Jodhaa Akbar (2008), directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, he starred alongside Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, playing Rajkumar Sujamal. 

Jodhaa Akbar was one of the biggest Hindi historical epics made in that decade and gave Sonu Sood his most prestigious Hindi film credit and his first association with a top-tier Bollywood star cast. 

He also appeared in Singh Is Kinng, directed by Anees Bazmee, opposite Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, and Om Puri, playing the villain Lucky Singh in the action comedy blockbuster. 

Additionally, he appeared in Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi (2008) and Mr Medhavi in Hindi productions that year. 

Telugu Domination (2009)

In 2009, he played the role of Pasupathy in Arundhati. Arundhati, directed by Kodi Ramakrishna and starring Anushka Shetty, was the highest-grossing Telugu film of 2009 and one of the biggest blockbusters in Telugu cinema history at that time. 

He appeared in Ek Niranjan with Prabhas and Kangana Ranaut, played roles in Dhoondte Reh Jaoge and City of Life, and also featured in the Telugu film Anjaneyulu opposite Ravi Teja. 

Dabangg and Pan-India Villain Status (2010)

In 2010, he played the lead antagonist in Abhinav Kashyap’s Dabangg, co-starring with Salman Khan. Dabangg also featured Sonakshi Sinha in her debut, Arbaaz Khan, Vinod Khanna, Dimple Kapadia, Anupam Kher, and Om Puri. The film became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films ever made at that time, and Sonu Sood’s villainous portrayal of Chhedi Singh became one of the most memorable antagonist performances of the decade in Hindi cinema. 

Kannada Debut, Dookudu, and Buddah (2011)

He debuted in Kannada with the movie Vishnuvardhana in 2011. The Kannada biographical action film was based on the life of legendary Kannada actor Vishnuvardhan and featured Sudeep in the lead alongside Priyamani. In Telugu, he appeared in Dookudu, directed by Srinu Vaitla, opposite Mahesh Babu and Tamannaah Bhatia, playing the villain Prithvi. Dookudu became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of 2011. He also appeared in Kandireega, directed by S. S. Rajamouli, opposite Ram and Hansika Motwani, Teen Maar in Telugu opposite Pawan Kalyan, and in the Hindi film Buddha Hoga Terra Baap opposite Amitabh Bachchan, Raveena Tandon, and Hema Malini. 

Maximum, Julayi, and Shakti (2012)

In 2012, he starred in Maximum, directed by Kabeer Kaushik, playing the lead role of encounter specialist Pratap Pandit opposite Naseeruddin Shah, Neha Dhupia, and Vinay Pathak. The film was based on the real-life encounter of specialist Pradeep Sharma and gave him one of his rare lead hero roles in Hindi cinema. He also appeared in Julayi, directed by Trivikram Srinivas, opposite Allu Arjun, playing the antagonist Bhramaji, and in Shakti in Telugu opposite Jr. NTR. In 2012, he received the SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role in Telugu for his role in Julayi. 

Shootout at Wadala, R Rajkumar, and Ramaiya Vastavaiya (2013)

In 2013, he appeared in Shootout at Wadala, directed by Sanjay Gupta, opposite John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee, Tusshar Kapoor, and Kangana Ranaut, playing the role of Dilawar Imtiaz Haksar. He then starred in R Rajkumar, directed by Prabhu Deva, opposite Shahid Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha, playing the villain Shivraj Gurjar in one of the year’s biggest Hindi commercial entertainers. He also appeared in Ramaiya Vastavaiya, directed by Prabhu Deva, opposite Girish Kumar, Shruti Haasan, and in the Telugu production Uu Kodathara Ulikki Padathara, directed by Vakkantham Vamsi, opposite Jr. NTR and Tamannaah. He also appeared in Bhai in Telugu. 

Happy New Year, Aagadu, and Entertainment (2014)

In 2014, he appeared in Happy New Year, directed by Farah Khan, opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Boman Irani, Vivaan Shah, and Sonu Sood himself in a prominent supporting role, one of the biggest Hindi ensemble blockbusters of that year. He also starred in Entertainment, directed by Sajid-Farhad, opposite Akshay Kumar and Tamannaah Bhatia, and in Aagadu, directed by Srinu Vaitla, opposite Mahesh Babu and Tamannaah Bhatia in Telugu. He also appeared in Saagasam in Tamil alongside Leema Babu and Rana in a Telugu production. 

Gabbar Is Back and Reduced Output (2015)

In 2015, he appeared in Gabbar Is Back, directed by Krish Jagarlamudi, opposite Akshay Kumar, Shruti Haasan, and Kiran Kumar, playing the antagonist Rajvardhan in the vigilante action thriller. The film performed well commercially and gave him a prominent villain role alongside one of Bollywood’s biggest stars.

Multi-Language Films and Production House Launch (2016)

In 2016, he appeared in Devi, directed by A. L. Vijay, a Tamil anthology drama that brought together an ensemble of female leads. He also appears in English, Mandarin, and Urdu language films such as Xuanzang (2016) and Ishq Positive (2016). Xuanzang was a Chinese biographical film about the Buddhist monk Xuanzang, directed by Huo Jianqi, and gave Sonu Sood one of his most internationally recognised acting credits, co-starring with Chinese actress Huang Shengyi. He also appeared in Tutak Tutak Tutiya, directed by A. L. Vijay, opposite Tamannaah Bhatia and Sonu Sood, a Tamil-Hindi bilingual horror comedy. In July 2016, he founded a production house named Shakti Sagar Productions, named after his father. 

Jackie Chan Collaboration in Kung Fu Yoga (2017)

He starred alongside Jackie Chan in Kung Fu Yoga (2017), a Chinese-Indian action-comedy directed by Stanley Tong. His martial arts skills and chemistry with Chan showcased his international appeal. The film was a massive success in China and became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films of that year, giving Sonu Sood unprecedented international box office visibility. 

Simmba and Paltan (2018)

In 2018, he appeared in Paltan, directed by J.P. Dutta, opposite Jackie Shroff, Arjun Rampal, Luv Sinha, Harshvardhan Rane, Siddhant Gupta, and Esha Gupta, playing Major Bishen Singh in the war film about the 1967 Nathu La conflict. He also appeared in Simmba, directed by Rohit Shetty, opposite Ranveer Singh and Sara Ali Khan, playing the villain Durva Ranade in one of the biggest Hindi commercial blockbusters of 2018, which earned over 400 crore rupees at the box office. 

Kurukshetra and Multilingual Milestone (2019)

In 2019, he appeared in Kurukshetra, directed by Naganna, a Kannada mythological epic based on the Mahabharata war, opposite Darshan Thoogudeepa, Nikhil Kumar, Hariprriya, and Amy Jackson, playing the role of Duryodhana. Kurukshetra (2019) remains among his most notable multilingual works during this period. Sonu Sood shared the screen with Nandita Swetha in the 2019 multi-lingual horror-comedy film Devi 2 (released as Abhinetri 2 in Telugu). He also appeared in various South Indian productions during this year, continuing his steady cross-language output. 

COVID-19 Humanitarian Work and Acharya (2020 to 2021)

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Sonu Sood’s work off-screen overtook his on-screen presence in terms of national impact. He catapulted to the national spotlight for his work in helping Indian migrants reach their homes during the lockdown, arranging buses, trains, and chartered flights as well as food for the stranded migrants. He rolled out a toll-free number and a WhatsApp helpline to coordinate with workers stranded across India. 

In September 2020, Sood was chosen for the SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his humanitarian work during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he appeared in Alludu Adhurs, directed by Santosh Srinivas, opposite Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas in Telugu, and continued his philanthropic activities, including setting up oxygen plants, delivering oxygen cylinders, and helping flood-affected regions of Maharashtra. 

Recent Work (2022 to 2025)

Sonu Sood re-entered mainstream cinema prominently with Samrat Prithviraj in 2022. Samrat Prithviraj (2022) co-starred Akshay Kumar and Manushi Chillar, with Sonu Sood playing the villain Chand Bardai’s adversary in the historical epic directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi. The film was India’s official selection for the 95th Academy Awards. 

In 2023, he appeared in Thamilarasan in Tamil and in Sreemanta in Bengali, continuing his record as one of the most multilingual actors in Indian cinema. Both were regional productions that kept him active across multiple language industries simultaneously. 

In 2024, he appeared in Kisaan, directed by E. Niwas, a film about farmers’ struggles in India, which he had been developing for several years through his production house Shakti Sagar Productions. 

In January 2025, he made his directorial debut with Fateh. After a young woman falls victim to an online scam, the story follows an ex-special operations officer who comes out of retirement to bring down a brutal cyber mafia. The film starred Sonu Sood as Fateh Singh, Jacqueline Fernandez as Khushi Sharma, Vijay Raaz as Satya Prakash, and Naseeruddin Shah as Raza, produced by Shakti Sagar Productions and Zee Studios. The film received mixed reviews but was praised as a competent directorial debut. Sonu Sood and Sadha shared the screen in the long-delayed, multi-starrer Tamil action-comedy film Madha Gaja Raja (directed by Sundar C.) 

Upcoming Work 

• After Fateh, Sonu Sood has expressed interest in directing more films.
• His move into direction appears to be a long-term creative goal, not a one-time experiment.
• After Fateh, he is expected to work on Kisaan.
• Kisaan will be directed by E. Niwas, known for Shool.
• Kisaan is expected to explore agrarian issues in India.
• The film may add a socially conscious direction to Sood’s production work.
• An untitled project with composer Sam C.S. is listed on his IMDb Pro page.
• Sam C.S. is known for his work on Vikram Vedha, Imaikkaa Nodigal, and thrillers by Pushkar Gayatri.

Sonu Sood Awards and Achievements

Sonu Sood has received recognition for both his film performances and humanitarian work.

• Nandi Award for Best Villain (2009) — Awarded by the Andhra Pradesh State Government for his role in the Telugu blockbuster Arundhati. 
• Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu (2010) — Won for his performance in Arundhati.  
• CineMAA Award for Best Villain (2010) — Won for Arundhati.
• Apsara Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2011) — Won for playing Chedi Singh in Dabangg (2010). 
• IIFA Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role (2011) — Won for Dabangg. 
• Popular Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2011) — Won for Dabangg.  
• Surfers’ Choice Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2011) — Won for Dabangg (with 25% of votes).  
• CineMAA Award for Best Villain (2012) — Won for Dookudu. 
• SIIMA Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role – Telugu (2012) — Won for Dookudu. 
• SIIMA Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role – Telugu (2012) — Won for Julayi. 
• Stardust Reader’s Choice Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role (2014) — Won for It’s Entertainment.  
• SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award (2020) — Conferred by the Department of Planning, Government of Punjab, in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Goals Coordination Centre, for his COVID-19 relief work helping lakhs of migrant workers. 
• Special Achievement Award (2022) — A special film award recognising his overall achievements.  
• TSR-TV9 National Film Awards Telugu – Best Villain (2012) — Won for Julayi.  
• Mumbai Achievers Award — Recognised for his contributions to the entertainment industry.  

Nominations

• Screen Award – Most Promising Debut Actor (2003) — Nominated for Shaheed-E-Azam.
• Stardust Jury’s Choice – Breakthrough Performance Male (2005) — Nominated for Yuva. 
• Stardust Jury’s Choice – Breakthrough Performance Male (2009) — Nominated for Jodhaa Akbar.  
• Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor (2009) — Nominated for Jodhaa Akbar. 
• Apsara Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (2009) — Nominated for Jodhaa Akbar.  
• Popular Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (2009) — Nominated for Jodhaa Akbar.  
• Popular Award for Best Supporting Actor (2009) — Nominated for Jodhaa Akbar.  
• Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu (2012) — Nominated for Kandireega.  
• Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2011) — Nominated for Dabangg.  
• Global Indian Film and TV Honours – Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2011) — Nominated for Dabangg.  
• Stardust Reader’s Choice – Best Supporting Actor (2011) — Nominated for Dabangg.
• Bangalore Times Film Awards – Best Actor in a Negative Role Male (2012) — Nominated for Vishnuvardhana.  
• Sandalwood Star Award – Best Actor in a Negative Role (2012) — Nominated for Vishnuvardhana. 
• SIIMA – Telugu (2020) — Nominated for his work.  
• Jury’s Choice Award – Best Performance by an Actor in a Negative Role (2019) — Nominated for Simmba. 
• Stardust Reader’s Choice – Best Supporting Actor (2014) — Nominated for Happy New Year. 

Sonu Sood Net Worth

Below is the estimated net worth and annual salary of Sonu Sood:

Net Worth in Dollars Approx	$17–18 million (₹130 to 140 crore)
Salary Approx	₹1 crore to ₹1.5

Sonu Sood Height, Weight, and Physical Stats

Below are the height, weight, and physical stats of Sonu Sood:

Height	In feet and inches: 6 feet 1½ inches In centimetres: 187 cm In meters: 1.87 m
Weight	In kg: 80 kg In lbs: 176 lbs
Body Measurements	44-34-17
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Brown

Sonu Sood Social Media

Instagram	@sonu_sood
X	@SonuSood
Facebook	@ActorSonuSood

Interesting Facts about Sonu Sood

• Sonu Sood came to Mumbai with only ₹5,500 in his pocket. He initially lived in a one-room kitchen apartment with six other boys. 
• Sonu Sood became good friends with Jackie Chan during Kung Fu Yoga.  
• He was first offered the lead role in Dabangg. He later played the villain Chedi Singh in Dabangg,  made him iconic.
• His Ghar Bhejo campaign personally helped send 12,000 migrant workers home. The Sood Charity Foundation arranged help for another 45,000 people. 
• He helped repatriate over 1,500 Indian students stranded in Kyrgyzstan by arranging chartered flights to bring them back to India. 
• On his birthday (July 30), he launched a website and app called Pravasi Rojgar to help migrant workers find suitable jobs during the pandemic. 
• He wrote his autobiography, I Am No Messiah, co-written with Meena Iyer, which was published by Penguin Random House India in December 2020.
• He was appointed the “State Icon of Punjab” by the state election commission.
• He is an ardent devotee of Lord Ganesha. 

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