Suhana Khan / Wikipedia

King Khan's darling daughter, Suhana is no stranger to the spotlight. The apple of her father's eyes, she has been making headlines ever since her father started talking about her in interviews, beaming with pride at her many achievements.

While her elder brother, Aryan, has chosen to pursue a career behind the camera, Suhana always expressed a desire to act and was preparing for it even when she was at the university. Now, with her debut film out of the way, the newly minted actress is trying to find her footing in the industry where you are just as good as your last release. Bollywood Insider takes a deep dive into what makes the star kid a promising name to watch out for...

Daddy's lil girl

Born to Gauri Khan and superstar Shah Rukh Khan, when he was at the peak of his career, little Suhana grew up in the media eye-much to her dismay. During the release of her film, she was quoted as saying that she wanted to make a name for herself instead of just being famous for her last name.

While he is close to all three of his kids, SRK shares a beautiful bond with his daughter and was quoted as saying, "When I'm really sad and disturbed about something, it's Suhana I'll be sitting with. I have never found anyone with more clarity of thought or simplicity than my daughter."

An actor is born

After attending the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai, followed by Ardingly College in the UK, Suhana's passion for acting led her to the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts in New York City, where she honed her craft. However, she hadn't always planned on becoming an actor. It was while watching her performance in school plays that her parents realised she was passionate about it.

Even her childhood friend, Ananya Panday is all praise for her school performances and was quoted as saying, "We used to be in all the school plays and she used to be the main lead and I used to be this thing moving in the background. This is really cool because I think she is a brilliant actor. Suhana is just too talented... She is a great singer and a great dancer. A lot of big things are meant for Suhana!"

Suhana's acting journey began with the short film, The Grey Part of Blue in 2019. However, it was her role as Veronica Lodge in Zoya Akhtar's 2023 Netflix adaptation of The Archies that truly put her on the map. The film, a modern Indian take on the classic Archie Comics, featured Suhana alongside Agastya Nanda and Khushi Kapoor. While she received mixed reviews for her performance, everyone unanimously agreed that Bollywood had found its new star in her.

Taking on controversies

Amidst the raging nepotism debate, Suhana had to field her share of controversies during the release of her first film, but she maintained an independent stance throughout. While she chose to keep mum about it, there were some things that rattled her. During an interview, she expressed that while at home, things were normal and everything was cool, the challenges were outside.

"I still find it hard because people feel like they can judge you. Especially on social media. Pictures from my private Instagram account get leaked. There are so many people talking about you. They don't know you, and they don't know what they're talking about, but they're just talking. And that can mess with your self-confidence. I keep telling myself that haters are going to hate, but I can't honestly say that I don't get upset by it. It's annoying, but I keep telling myself other people have bigger problems," she said.

Suhana is not just fiercely private about her personal life, she also doesn't mince her words when it comes to issues that are close to her heart. She has spoken extensively about beauty standards and what it means to her. In a conversation with Arjun Kapoor, she said that her generation believes that, above appearance, beauty is more about self-expression and individuality.

She further added, "And I think it is not about setting unrealistic beauty standards anymore, it's about challenging them and breaking them. I feel like we are redefining the term beauty and we are giving it more layers and depth and it's more than just what pleases the eye". At a time when even established actresses shy away from speaking their mind, it is heart warming to see Suhana open up so candidly. It also helps that she has unrelenting support from her father who was once quoted as saying, "I'll be honest; my daughter is dusky, but she's the most beautiful girl in the world. And nobody can tell me otherwise". Like father, like daughter.

Not just a pretty face

In 2023, Suhana expanded her horizons by becoming a brand ambassador for Maybelline New York and Reliance Retail's beauty brand, Tira. Her association with these global brands speaks volumes about her influence and appeal in the fashion and beauty industry. She is also very passionate about her health and was once quoted as saying, "For me, working out or doing anything physical is more about the mind than your body. Sometimes I'll be in a really bad mood or anxious about something because I am a very anxious person and I worry a lot over small things. So, when I go to the gym and I'm working out for that one hour, nothing else matters. It is like a gift to yourself.”