Sophie Khan Levy, who plays Priya Nandra-Hart on EastEnders, has a life away from the soap that differs significantly from her on-screen Walford alter-ego.
Priya arrived in Walford in 2023 with her daughter Avani (Aaliyah James), as the ex-girlfriend and daughter of Ravi (Aaron Thiara). At the time, Ravi had no idea he had a secret daughter, leaving him and the rest of the Panesar family stunned. Between the Panesar family drama and Priya's own romance troubles, Priya and Avani's time in the square has been chaotic. Recently, Priya discovered she was pregnant amid her affair with Max Branning (Jake Wood).
Sophie's TV Roles and Famous Mum
Sophie is not only known for her work on EastEnders; she has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and appeared in several television shows. In 2023, she played Gabrielle Ade in the BBC drama The Sixth Commandment, a four-part true-life crime drama about the deaths of Peter Farquhar and Ann Moore-Martin in Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire. She also played Florence Pandhi in the veterinary drama All Creatures Great and Small in 2022 and Beth in James Corden's Amazon Prime series Mammals.
Sophie's mother is Shaheen Khan, best known for playing Mrs Bhamra in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham. In the film, Mrs Bhamra champions tradition, assisting her eldest daughter, Pinky (Archie Panjabi), with preparations for her Indian wedding while attempting to guide her younger daughter, Jess (Parminder Nagra), along the same route. Shaheen also played Kiran Joghill in BBC's medical soap drama Casualty in the late 1980s and has starred in Doctors and Doctor Who.
Sophie's Age Gap with On-Screen Daughter
Sophie's on-screen daughter is Aaliyah James, who plays Avani. The real-life age gap between the two stars has left fans stunned. Sophie turned 37 this year, while Aaliyah is 26, giving them an 11-year age gap. On a Reddit thread, users shared their shock, with one person writing: "Isn't the actress that plays Avani in her 20s." Another added: "Bloody hell there really is only 11 years between Sophie and Aliyah. I learn something new every day!" Meanwhile, another questioned the show's choices: "Nugget's mum looks 20 and his sister looks 25...who does the casting here guys?"
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.
