This actress escaped forced marriage for Bollywood, rated world's sexiest woman, dated two superstars, then became nun

In the 2000s, a number of European models and dancers came to India and became popular in the film industry as supporting actresses or item girls. From Yana Gupta to Negar Khan, the list is never-ending. Among these was a British-Indian model, who first gained fame through Bigg Boss and later dated two big cricket stars. But it was her decision to shun glamour and become a nun that shocked most.

The actress who escaped forced marriage for Bollywood

Sofia Hayat was born and raised in a conservative Muslim family in Britain. Of Indian and Pakistani heritage, Sofia claims that she was subjected to a forced marriage in her teens. The actress says that she was forced to enter an arranged marriage in Pakistan and may have been killed too but she escaped that to reach India and begin a career in entertainment. In 2008, she made her film debut with Cash and Curry and subsequently appeared in films like Six X and Aksar 2. In 2013, she was named in FHM’s list of world’s sexiest women as one of the only Indians. Sofia also appeared on a number of TV shows, both in Britain and in India, most notably in the seventh of Bigg Boss (2013). Sofia was rumoured to be dating Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma soon after her stint in the Bigg Boss house and was reported to have had a fling with Virat Kohli as well at the time.

When Sofia Hayat became a nun

In 2016, three years after her Bigg Boss stint, Sofia stunned one and all by announcing that she had become a nun, renouncing the world of glamour. Calling herself Mother Sofia, the former actress said that she was choosing a path of spirituality over materialistic pleasures. However, this lasted less than a year before Sofia returned to showbiz (appearing in Bollywood film Aksar 2) and even marrying a Romanian businessman. The marriage, too, lasted just a year. Today, Sofia is a fitness model and remains active on social media.

The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.