"OMG, I didn't know."
Since 2023, Sophie Khan Levy has made a mark on EastEnders as Priya Nandra-Hart.
Priya arrived in the show as the long-lost mother of Davinder ‘Nugget’ Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhary).
She mothered him with Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and has a daughter with him – Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James).
However, EastEnders is not the only famous link to Sophie Khan Levy.
Fans recently discovered who Sophie’s mother is and have been surprised to know that she is someone famous too.
It emerged that Sophie’s mother is none other than Shaheen Khan, who starred in the cult classic Bend It Like Beckham (2002).
Shaheen played Mrs ‘Sukhi’ Kaur Bhamra – the conventional Indian mother of the main protagonist, Jesminder ‘Jess’ Kaur Bhamra (Parminder Nagra).
In Bend It Like Beckham, Jess is hungry to fulfil her dreams of football but her mother’s principles and values prove to be obstacles to her ambitions.
Fans reacted with excitement to their discovery.
One said: “OMG, I didn’t know the Bend It Like Beckham mum was [Sophie]’s mum!”
Another enthused: “I didn’t know this. I love Bend It Like Beckham and she’s so good as Priya.”
A third user said: “The way I went and told everyone in my household they are mother and daughter in real life. So surprised.”
Meanwhile, Sophie Khan Levy has been involved in dramatic storylines in EastEnders.
Recent episodes of the BBC soap have seen Priya struggle with Nugget’s need for dialysis following his consumption of steroids.
Priya has also been betrayed by Ravi’s father, Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry), who lied to her children that Priya slept with him.
This led her family to ostracise her from their life.
In 2024, Sophie Khan Levy was nominated for ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2024 Inside Soap Awards.
Speaking about this, the actress said: “I just feel very honoured because it is such an iconic show.
“I just can’t believe I’m a part of it and that I’m nominated. I just feel really lucky.
“I think it’s safe to say we’ve left [Priya] pretty high and dry.”
“But there’s one thing that Priya is all about and that is her kids.
“So I think we can say that we’re going to see a lot more of her motherly instincts coming out and really showing her as the mother she is.
“Even though the Panesars are complete chaos and high drama, there is a lot of love and family values that mean everything to everyone in that family.”
EastEnders continues on Monday, September 30, 2024.
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