Sonam Khan recalls emotional debut memory with Rishi Kapoor at Vijay mahurat
Synopsis
Sonam Khan’s throwback post about the mahurat of her debut film Vijay is more than nostalgia — it is the story of a young woman who walked in as Bakhtawar Khan and walked out as Sonam, flanked by Rishi Kapoor, Bhanu Athaiya, and Yash Chopra. A rare first-person account of reinvention inside Bollywood’s most star-studded rooms.
Key Takeaways
Sonam Khan shared a throwback memory from the mahurat of her debut film Vijay , describing it as the night she transformed from Bakhtawar Khan to Sonam .
She recalled sitting beside Rishi Kapoor , being dressed by Bhanu Athaiya , and seeing Yash Chopra at the event.
Sonam described the moment as a ‘very loud Cinderella moment’ that changed her name and destiny forever.
She paid tribute to all three legends — Rishi Kapoor , Bhanu Athaiya , and Yash Chopra — who have since passed away.
Sonam also reflected on the financial responsibility she felt that night, describing herself as becoming ‘the parent of her parents’.
Former actress Sonam Khan has shared a deeply personal throwback memory from her debut film Vijay, recalling the moment she first met legendary actor Rishi Kapoor at the film's mahurat and how that single night transformed her identity forever. The post, accompanied by a vintage photograph of Sonam alongside Rishi Kapoor, has stirred a wave of nostalgia among fans and film enthusiasts.
The Night Bakhtawar Became Sonam
In her own words, Sonam described the mahurat of Vijay as the defining turning point of her life — the evening she shed her birth name Bakhtawar Khan and stepped into the world as Sonam. “Sonam walked into the ballroom that night, leaving Bakhtawar Khan at her modest home. A very loud Cinderella moment for me. I guess the shoe did fit. This picture changed my name from Bakhtawar Khan to Sonam and my destiny forever,” she wrote.
The event was a constellation of Bollywood royalty. Sonam recalled sitting beside Rishi Kapoor, being dressed by the late costume legend Bhanu Athaiya, and catching a glimpse of Yash Chopra behind the cameraman. “I met so many stars for the first time in my life that night, I lost count,” she noted.
A Bittersweet Spotlight
Sonam was candid about the emotional complexity of the moment — the exhilaration of stepping into an unknown spotlight laced with the anxiety of a young woman carrying a new name that did not yet feel like her own. “The flashes, the whispers, the weight of a new name that wasn’t mine yet. I knew then my life had changed forever,” she wrote.
She also spoke of the sense of responsibility that crystallised that night. “No more handouts for survival. I knew I would survive very well and earn a living for my parents. In a role reversal, that day I became the parents of my parents, and I was very fortunate and happy about it,” she added, signing off with characteristic candour: “Sorry, I don’t do sob stories.”
Gratitude for the Legends
Sonam concluded her post with a heartfelt tribute to three icons, all of whom have since passed away. “Thank you, Rishi sir, for being so kind to the nervous new girl. Thank you, Bhanu ji, for giving Sonam her first armour. Thank you, Yash Ji, for believing in me before I even knew who I was. May all of you rest in peace,” she wrote.
The tribute carries added weight given that Rishi Kapoor passed away in April 2020, Bhanu Athaiya — India’s first Academy Award winner — died in October 2020, and Yash Chopra passed away in October 2012. The post is as much a memorial as it is a memoir.
Why This Moment Resonates
Sonam’s reflection arrives at a time when Bollywood’s golden-era connections are increasingly being documented through personal accounts. Her account offers a rare first-person window into the world of a debut actor navigating an industry defined by lineage and star power — without either. The mahurat of Vijay, it turns out, was not just the launch of a film but the birth of an identity that endured.
Point of View
Not chosen. Her tribute to Rishi Kapoor, Bhanu Athaiya, and Yash Chopra also quietly underscores how much institutional memory the industry lost between 2012 and 2020. What mainstream coverage tends to miss is the class undertone in her account — the shift from ‘handouts for survival’ to becoming a provider is the real story inside the star-studded room.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sonam Khan and what is her debut film?
Sonam Khan, born Bakhtawar Khan, is a former Bollywood actress whose debut film was Vijay. She has shared that the mahurat of Vijay was the night she adopted the name Sonam, marking a permanent shift in her personal and professional identity.
What did Sonam Khan write about Rishi Kapoor?
Sonam Khan recalled sitting beside Rishi Kapoor at the mahurat of Vijay and described him as ‘so kind to the nervous new girl.’ She concluded her post with a tribute: ‘Thank you, Rishi sir, for being so kind to the nervous new girl. May all of you rest in peace.’
Who were the other legends Sonam Khan mentioned in her post?
Sonam Khan mentioned costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, who dressed her for the mahurat, and filmmaker Yash Chopra, whom she spotted behind the cameraman. She paid tribute to all three — Rishi Kapoor, Bhanu Athaiya, and Yash Chopra — all of whom have passed away.
What is the significance of the name change from Bakhtawar Khan to Sonam?
Sonam Khan has described the mahurat of Vijay as the precise moment she transformed from Bakhtawar Khan to Sonam, saying ‘this picture changed my name from Bakhtawar Khan to Sonam and my destiny forever.’ She characterised it as a defining identity shift rather than a mere professional rebranding.
Why did Sonam Khan’s debut feel bittersweet?
Sonam described it as bittersweet because she was a young girl stepping into an unknown spotlight, carrying a new name that did not yet feel like her own. She also felt the weight of financial responsibility for her family, describing herself as becoming ‘the parent of her parents’ from that night onward.
