EastEnders Priya actress has famous soap star mum – and fans are gobsmacked

EastEnders actress Sophie Khan Levy, who plays Priya Nandra-Hart in the BBC soap, has a very famous mum – but many fans had no idea that the two were related

EastEnders viewers were left gobsmacked after discovering that Sophie Khan Levy, who portrays Priya Nandra-Hart, has a super famous mum.

Priya, played by Sophie, arrived in Walford last year with her daughter Avani (Aaliyah James) as Ravi’s (Aaron Thiara) ex-girlfriend and secret child, leaving him and the entire Panesar family in shock.

The mother-daughter duo quickly stirred up drama, from family feuds to romantic entanglements, ensuring their time on the square was anything but dull.

Off-screen, Sophie Khan Levy is no newcomer to the spotlight. In 2023, she portrayed Gabrielle Ade in the chilling true BBC drama, The Sixth Commandment.

**Priya has become a firm favourite with fans** (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

She also starred as Florence Pandhi in the 2022 veterinary drama All Creatures Great and Small and as Beth in James Corden’s Amazon Prime series Mammals. However, fans have recently discovered that Sophie’s lineage includes a well-known face.

Her mother is Shaheen Khan, famed for her role as Mrs Bhamra in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham. Shaheen also appeared as Kiran Joghill in BBC’s medical soap Casualty in the late ’80s and has had roles in popular shows like BBC’s Doctors and Doctor Who, reports the Mirror.

**Sophie’s mum is also a soap star** (Image: Instagram)

Fans are absolutely gobsmacked to learn that Shaheen Khan, known for her role as the mum in “Bend it Like Beckham,” is actually Sophie’s real-life mum. A TikTok revelation had one user commenting: “Omg didn’t know the bend it like Beckham mum was her mum.”

Another chimed in with enthusiasm, “I didn’t know this, I love the film bend it like Beckham and she’s so good as priya.”

**She appeared in Bend It Like Beckham** (Image: Youtube)

A third shared their astonishment, saying: “The way I went and told everyone in my household they’re mother and daughter in real life, so surprised.”

On stepping into the world of EastEnders, Sophie mentioned last year, “I’m super excited to be joining the show, and I can’t wait to see what trouble Priya gets herself into! ” and also shared her joy, adding, “I watched EastEnders when I was growing up, so to see so many familiar faces and to walk onto the set is a dream come true.”

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.