Sooraj Pancholi’s tell-all interview: For Jiah Khan’s mother, police and CBI were wrong, tomorrow even High Court and Supreme Court will be

Actor Sooraj Pancholi sat down with HT City for an explosive, tell-all interview right after getting acquitted in the Jiah Khan suicide abetment case. This is the second part in a lengthy chat:

In what way was Jiah Khan’s family there in her life, can you elaborate?

She was the only person supporting her two step sisters and her mother (Rabia Khan), and her mother’s partner, not even husband. Jiah had been supporting them since the age of 16. She was brought to the Hindi film industry at the age of 16 by her mother, even when Jiah didn’t want to pursue acting. She was pushed into films. She did enjoy it later, but it is not what she wanted to do. She wanted to study further. Yes, I loved Jiah, but love from me was not enough. Love from her family is what she needed and wanted.

Describe your relationship with Jiah, what was it like?

You will be shocked to know I only knew her for five months, it was a very short relationship. I totally knew her for maybe six months, out of that five I was in a relationship with her. It’s very difficult to know what a person is going through in just a matter of five months! And at that age, I was a little too immature to even understand the magnitude of what she was going through. I informed her family that she had tried to commit suicide months before she killed herself, six months before she died.

And you met her right after the previous attempt? Which year was this?

Yes. It was 2012. I had sent for the doctors for her. If I was not present that day, she would have passed away long back. I had informed her mother at that time ‘aunty, this is what she has done’ She wounded herself really bad on her arm with a piece of glass. Her family was in London then, her mother said ‘beta you take care of Jiah, I am going to take the next flight’.

It was three months before her mother showed up in India. Do you think that’s a normal way to be a mother? No it is not. If a scratch comes on your child, a person is worried and they will be there. Here, your daughter tried to kill herself! They didn’t share a normal relationship. Just because she is a mother does not mean they had good relations, does not mean she was a responsible or caring.

Why do you think you are being implicated in this incident?

I don’t know! Actually, I do know… because Jiah’s mother knows she is guilty of being an irresponsible mother towards Jiah, and she doesn’t want to take guilt on her head. I think she will feel peace only if somebody else is blamed for her mistakes. There is nothing else to gain. And then the reason I was arrested is because of that so called suicide note.

The six-page suicide note, not addressed to anyone or naming anyone, mentioned that there was an abortion that happened, and the relationship was full of abuse.

In court today, after 10 years it has been proved that the letter matched the notebook that was found at Jiah’s house. That notebook has been proved, that it is Rabia’s notebook.. The notes inside, the handwriting, is Jiah’s mother’s handwriting. So basically the investigation team, the CBI, and police matched the two handwritings… but they never investigated who’s diary it was! It was just assumed it was Jiah’s. Then what was I in for? What was I blamed for? Such disgusting allegations. Me and Jiah knew each other for five months, we were not in a five-year long marriage. We didn’t even know each other well. If today someone starts to treat me badly in a five-year relationship, we are educated people, it is easy for us to walk out. It was so easy for her to walk out. If I was so abusive and so bad as a boyfriend, why did Jiah’s mother not take an objection back then?

You are the closest to your mother (actor Zarina Wahab) isn’t it? What was her reaction when her son was found not guilty?

She didn’t say much, but looking at her I got a sense of relief in her eyes. It is not her fault, but she apologised to me saying she is really sorry for what I have been through. Actually, I am sorry for what my family has been through, I want to apologise to them. My mom has been the strongest in the family, she has helped all of us together. I hope the 10 years I have lost, now I can give back to my family and take care of my mother too.

People are quick to distance themselves when they see one in trouble. How has the industry treated you all this while?

I have been blessed, some of my friends have maintained pure friendship with me without judging me a single bit. I have had people there for me from the beginning. I have also seen people who don’t want to associate with me.

Who has supported you?

The biggest example is Salman Khan sir, Suniel Shetty sir, Nikkhil Advani, Bhushan Kumar sir, Remo D’Souza sir, Ahmad Khan, Athiya Shetty (his first co-star in the film Hero). There have been people, but I have to make a mark on my own in this industry. It has been difficult. I have knocked on each and every person’s door to get work.

Inspite of being a star kid?

The presumption about being a star kid maybe works, but it doesn’t work in my situation.

Because you had bigger odds to fight?

I had every odd to fight. I have… I had (corrects himself) this sword hanging over my head before I was even an actor. For me, the star kid tag doesn’t really match up.

Jiah’s mother said after your acquittal that she will approach other courts now, and that she had always maintained it’s a homicide, not suicide. What would you say about that?

She has all the right to. But you cannot change what the truth is. No matter what you do… when the police started investigating, she said police was wrong, then Jiah’s mother wanted a special investigation team, they were also wrong (according to her), then CBI came, which is the most powerful investigation team in India. I didn’t call for them, she did. They are on her side, not mine. It was not Sooraj Pancholi vs Rabia Khan in court today, it was Sooraj vs CBI. And now, even CBI is wrong for her! Tomorrow even the High Court and Supreme Court will be wrong for her, because she is guilty of being a bad parent. She wants to blame somebody else for it.