When we think of Bollywood’s ‘Dabangg’ girl, it’s hard to imagine Sonakshi Sinha doing anything other than acting. But as it turns out, she never wanted to become an actor in the first place. In a candid conversation on Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast, Sonakshi opened up about how she ‘accidentally’ entered Bollywood and gives credits to Salman Khan and her family’s long friendship with the Khans.
‘I wanted to work in fashion, not films’
Talking about her early dreams, Sonakshi said acting wasn’t part of her plan at all. “I studied fashion designing and wanted to do something in that sphere, maybe fashion journalism or styling. I wasn’t sure at that point in time, but by some chance, I became an actor,” she said in the podcast.
She admitted she had no special interest in films despite being born into a famous film family. “I was never fully inclined towards acting,” Sonakshi said. “But Salim Saab and my father were very close friends, so I knew Salman, Arbaaz, and Sohail since childhood. The families would often meet during Eid or Ganpati celebrations,” she further shared in the podcast.
Salman Khan saw her potential before she did
Sonakshi revealed that Salman had spotted her potential years before she ever considered facing the camera. “Salman had been telling me to get into films since I was 16. I was overweight then, and he used to say, ‘What is this fashion designing? Don’t waste your time, you should become an actor.’ And I would tell him, ‘No! Can you not see me?’” she recalled.
Her first job
Before becoming a star, Sonakshi worked behind the scenes at Lakme Fashion Week as a college volunteer. “I was ushering people and got paid Rs 3,000 for five days,” she shared. “One fine day, Salman and his family came there. They saw me and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I told them it was my first job. Salman laughed and said, ‘Okay then, take me for dinner with your first salary.’ I told him Rs 3,000 won’t even cover his dinner!”
How she got ‘Dabangg’
Years later, fate had something else planned. “After college, I lost a lot of weight. The Khan family saw me again at Amrita Arora’s wedding,” she said. “Arbaaz bhai came to me and said, ‘Maine picture likhi hai, and you are perfect for the role. We need an Indian face.’ I didn’t take him seriously at first.”
But soon, Arbaaz visited her home with the Dabangg director and writer. “They narrated the film to me and my parents. Nobody asked me whether I wanted to do it and the next thing I know, I’m on set,” Sonakshi said.
‘Dabangg’ went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters of 2010, and Sonakshi’s portrayal of Rajjo made her an overnight star.
What’s next for Sonakshi?
Sonakshi is now gearing up for her Telugu debut with Jatadhara with Sudheer Babu. The much-awaited film hits theatres on November 7, 2025. Described as “an unforgettable clash of good vs evil, light vs darkness, and human will vs cosmic fate,” the movie also stars Divya Khossla, Shilpa Shirodkar, Indira Krishna, and Rajeev Kanakala.