Sophie Khan Levy, who has played Priya Nandra-Hart on EastEnders for several years, is not the only famous person in her family. Her real-life mother is also an accomplished actor.
Sophie's Famous Mother
Sophie's mother is Shaheen Khan, best known for her role as Mrs Bhamra in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham. In the movie, Mrs Bhamra upholds tradition, helping her eldest daughter, Pinky (Archie Panjabi), with her Indian wedding preparations while trying to steer her younger daughter, Jess (Parminder Nagra), down the same path. Jess was more interested in playing football and achieving fame like her idol, David Beckham, who makes a cameo at the end of the film.
Shaheen also portrayed Kiran Joghill in BBC's medical soap drama Casualty in the late '80s and has appeared in shows such as BBC's Doctors and Doctor Who.
Inspiration and Legacy
Speaking to Grazia Pakistan, Sophie revealed how her mother inspired her to become an actor. She said: "Mum paved the way not just for me but for so many South Asian actors who watched her and thought 'if she can, maybe I can too'.
"I think it's important to acknowledge the history we have as a South Asian community in the performance space. Often I hear 'this is the first time we've seen this or that', we can't galvanise our community if we don't acknowledge our legacy and history. In the end, storytelling is a universal and ancient way to pass on exactly that.
"Mum brought her talents into our home and made our childhood full of play! Encouraging us to imagine, to create and to dream big."
Fan Reactions
Social media has been buzzing with reactions to Sophie's mother. One TikTok user said, "Omg, I didn't know the Bend It Like Beckham mum was her mum!" Another fan shared, "I love that film, and she's so good as Priya." One viewer admitted, "I ran to tell everyone in my house they're mother and daughter in real life!"
Sophie joined the ITV soap in 2023 as Priya and quickly became a firm favourite. Her storylines have included complicated relationships within the Panesar family and her son's steroid use. This week, she found out she was pregnant amid her affair with Max Branning (Jake Wood).
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.
