{{Short description|British singer and actress}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Sophie Choudry | image = Sophie Choudry graces at Timekeepers Chopard event (07) (cropped).jpg | caption = Choudry in 2018 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|02|08}} | birth_place = Manchester, England | othername = Sophia, Sophiya, Sophie | occupation = Actress, singer, TV presenter | alma_mater = London School of Economics, Sciences Po, Paris and London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art | yearsactive = 1999–present | spouse = | partner = | website = }}
'''Sophie Choudry''' (born 8 February 1982)<ref name="Birthday">{{cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/photos/entertainment-gallery/yuvraj-singh-neha-dhupia-ekta-kapoor-at-sophie-choudrys-birthday-party/ |newspaper=Indian Express |title=Yuvraj Singh, Neha Dhupia, Ekta Kapoor at Sophie Choudry's birthday party |date=9 February 2014 |quote=Bollywood beauty Sophie Choudry celebrated her 32nd birthday with her B-town friends in Mumbai's popular Olive Bar on Saturday (February 8). |archive-date=6 August 2017 |access-date=9 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806140324/http://indianexpress.com/photos/entertainment-gallery/yuvraj-singh-neha-dhupia-ekta-kapoor-at-sophie-choudrys-birthday-party/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Sophie Choudry">{{cite web |url=http://mtvindia.com/vjs/sophie.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216191221/http://mtvindia.com/vjs/sophie.html |archive-date=16 February 2009 |title=VJ Sophie: Profile |publisher=MTV INDIA |access-date=6 March 2009}}</ref> is a British singer and actress based in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/celebs/music/ravishing-pictures-of-singer-actress-sophie-choudry/sophie-choudrys-pictures/articleshow/70589364.cms|title=Sophie Choudry's pictures|website=photogallery.indiatimes.com}}</ref> She has been active primarily in Hindi-language films and is also a former MTV India VJ and occasional model, and television presenter.<ref name="Birthday" />
==Early life== Sophie Choudry was born in Manchester and brought up in London.<ref name="I'm single and loving it">{{cite web |url=http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/sep/04/slide-show-1-sophie-chowdry-gets-candid-with-fans-on-rediff-chat.htm |title='I'm single and loving it' |publisher=Rediff |access-date=4 September 2009 |archive-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905232218/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/sep/04/slide-show-1-sophie-chowdry-gets-candid-with-fans-on-rediff-chat.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Her father was a major fan of Sophia Loren and hence her birthname is "Sophia", however she now goes by the name "Sophie". She has an elder brother.<ref name="Sophie Choudry"/>
Choudry studied at London School of Economics, graduating in European politics and French<ref name="Sophie Choudry"/><ref name="I'm single and loving it"/> and is also a gold medalist from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.<ref name="Sophia with love">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/12/16/stories/2004121600290200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050509191529/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/12/16/stories/2004121600290200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2005 |title=Sophia with love... |work=The Hindu |access-date=4 September 2009 |location=Chennai, India |date=16 December 2004}}</ref> Furthermore, she studied for nearly two years at the "Sciences Po" in Paris, France.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/2451-sophie-chaudhary-excited-about-aa-dekhen-zara.html |title=Sophie Chaudhary excited about Aa Dekhen Zara |publisher=bollyspice.com |access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> BollySpice reports, that while still studying, Choudry became a VJ for Zee UK.<ref name="bollyspice.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/3295-shaadi-no-1-is-something-i-will-never-regret-sophie-choudry.html |title="Shaadi No. 1 is something I will never regret!" – Sophie Choudry |publisher=bollyspice.com |access-date=4 September 2009}}</ref><ref name="Sophie Choudry"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/12/16/stories/2004121600290200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050509191529/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2004/12/16/stories/2004121600290200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2005 |title=Sophia with love... |work=The Hindu |access-date=5 September 2009 |location=Chennai, India |date=16 December 2004}}</ref>
She took a few classes in Indian classical dance as Bharatnatyam, which she learnt in London for four years as well as Western dances like salsa.<ref name="bollyspice.com"/> She is also well trained in Western classical music, which she learnt for three years in the UK from Helena Shenel,<ref name="The versatile veejay">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/09/stories/2002120901620200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040302190552/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/09/stories/2002120901620200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 March 2004 |title=The versatile veejay |work=The Hindu |access-date=5 September 2009 |location=Chennai, India |date=9 December 2002}}</ref> as well as in Indian classical music, which she learnt from Pandit Ashkaran Sharma.<ref name="Sophia with love"/>
==Career==
===Music=== Choudry began her singing career. When she was 12 years old,<ref>{{cite web |title=Interviews – Sophie Chaudhary |url=http://www.mahiram.com/2010/02/17/sophie-choudry/ |publisher=Mahiram.com |access-date=22 December 2010 |archive-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724103641/http://www.mahiram.com/2010/02/17/sophie-choudry/ |url-status=live }}</ref> her talent was discovered by noted music director Biddu, who launched her musical career.<ref name="Sophia with love"/><ref name="bollyspice.com"/> She, at first, lent her voice as a backup singer to playback singers like Shweta Shetty and Alisha Chinai.<ref name="Sophie Choudry"/>
In 2000, Choudry started her career as a pop singer with her all-female band "Sansara" with a song which Choudry herself wrote ("Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hai"). After their second hit “Habibi” the band separated and Choudry started her solo singing career, donning the videos "Habibi" and "Le Le Mera Dil" in 2002.<ref name="Sophia with love"/> Her latest single 'Aaj Naiyo Sauna'<ref name="Sapna Choudhary">{{Citation |last=Sapna Choudhary |title=Aaj Naiyo Sauna - Sophie Choudry{{!}} Aaj Naiyo Sona - Sophie Choudhary New |date=5 February 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0VJ7dy-R5c |access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>
Choudry then moved to Mumbai in 2003, becoming a VJ for MTV India and hosting the popular show ''MTV Loveline'',<ref name="Sophia with love"/> which eventually gained her popularity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://buzz18.in.com/interviews/movies/im-indias-goldie-hawn-sophie-choudhry/107111/0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201044207/http://buzz18.in.com/interviews/movies/im-indias-goldie-hawn-sophie-choudhry/107111/0 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2009 |title=I'm India's Goldie Hawn: Sophie Choudhry |publisher=buzz18.in.com |access-date=4 September 2009}}</ref> Less than one year on, Sophie returned with her newest offering, “Sophie and Dr Love”. Her version of the song “Mera Babu Chail Chabila” became a chartbuster. She followed it up with what went on to become her biggest hit album “Babylove”. According to Choudry, she listened to over 400 songs to come up with her perfect 12.<ref name="Sophia with love"/> Songs on this album include "Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya", "Jadugar Saiyaan", "Zuby Zuby", "Dil Ke Armaan", "Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi", and "Bachke Rehna Re Baba".
In December 2009, Choudry launched her album ''Sound of Sophie'', which had no remixes, but only original numbers. The launch of this album marked her association with the Indian fashion brand [http://www.madameonline.com MADAME], who hired her as their first brand ambassador.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sophie at Madame store |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/filmi-parties/bollywood/Sophie-at-Madame-store/articleshow/6712896.cms |publisher=Times of India |access-date=22 December 2010 |date=9 October 2010}}</ref> She worked with well-known music composers such as Rishi Rich, Bappi Lahiri, Biddu and Gaurav Das Gupta in the album.<ref name="bollyspice.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/sep/04/slide-show-1-sophie-chowdry-gets-candid-with-fans-on-rediff-chat.htm |title='Mumbai has given me so much' |publisher=Rediff |access-date=4 September 2009 |archive-date=5 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905232218/http://movies.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/sep/04/slide-show-1-sophie-chowdry-gets-candid-with-fans-on-rediff-chat.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Choudry has also participated in ''Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa'', Season 7.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-sophie-chaudhary-in-jhalak-dikhhla-jaa-season-7-1992920 |title=Sophie Chaudhary in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 7 {{!}} Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |date=2 June 2014 |work=dna |access-date=10 January 2018 |language=en-US |archive-date=11 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111173408/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-sophie-chaudhary-in-jhalak-dikhhla-jaa-season-7-1992920 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Films=== Sophie made her film debut with David Dhawan's ''Shaadi No. 1'' in 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dangor |first=Kimi |date=12 September 2005 |title=Chanel Switch |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/eyecatchers/story/20050912-veejay-sophie-choudry-to-make-her-bollywood-debut-in-david-dhawans-shaadi-no-1-787126-2005-09-11 |magazine=India Today |location=New Delhi |publisher=Living Media |access-date=19 January 2025 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Her next release was ''Pyaar Ke Side Effects'' (2006).<ref>{{cite interview |last=Choudry |first=Sophie |date=12 August 2009 |title='My curves are the sexiest part of me' |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-sophie-on-maxim/20090812.htm |location=Mumbai |publisher=Rediff.com |access-date=19 January 2025}}</ref> In 2013, she appeared in an extended cameo in ''Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!'' and in a dance number in ''Shootout at Wadala''.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=22 July 2013 |title=Sophie Choudry misses out on dance number with Akshay Kumar |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/sophie-choudry-misses-out-on-dance-number-with-akshay-kumar/ |work=The Indian Express |location=Mumbai |agency=Bollywood Hungama |access-date=19 January 2025 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=13 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813145926/http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/sophie-choudry-misses-out-on-dance-number-with-akshay-kumar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2014, she appeared in another dance number in Telugu-language film ''1: Nenokkadine''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/sophie-chaudhary-does-an-item-song/articleshow/28785430.cms|title=Sophie Chaudhary sizzles with item song|work=The Times of India |date=14 January 2014|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref>
===Other ventures===
In December 2017, she launched a wellness company called Lifetox with her partners. They developed a fitness ayurvedic tea called Fittox and more products including Lifetox vitamins since then.
==Filmography== thumb|Sophie Choudry at Blackberry curve's launch party
* ''All films are in Hindi unless otherwise noted.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | rowspan="3" | 2005 || ''Shaadi No. 1'' || Dimple Kothari || credited as Sophie |- | ''Pyaar Ke Side Effects'' || Tanya || |- | ''I See You'' || Dilnaaz Bagga || |- | rowspan="3" | 2007 || ''Heyy Babyy'' || Herself || Special appearance |- | ''Aggar'' || Nisha Raval || |- | ''Speed'' || Monica Monteiro || |- | rowspan="2" | 2008 || ''Money Hai Toh Honey Hai'' || rowspan="2" | Herself || rowspan="2" | Special appearance |- | ''Kidnap'' |- | rowspan="4" | 2009 || ''Aa Dekhen Zara'' || Bindiya Avasti || |- | ''Daddy Cool'' || Ayesha || |- | ''Chintuji'' || Menka || |- | ''Alibaug'' || Nisha || |- | rowspan="1" | 2011 || ''Vedi'' || rowspan="2" | Herself || Tamil film; special appearance |- | rowspan="2" | 2013 || ''Shootout at Wadala'' || Special appearance in the song |- | ''Once Upon ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara!'' || Mrs. Dixit || |- | rowspan="1" | 2014 || ''1: Nenokkadine'' || rowspan="2" | Herself|| Telugu film; special appearance in the song "London Babu" |- |2024 |''Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2'' |Special appearance |}
===TV appearances=== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |2014 |''Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Season 7'' |Contestant |6th Place |- |2026 – |''Famously Fit With Sophie'' |Host |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hungama |first=Bollywood |date=2026-03-27 |title=Sophie Choudry to host Famously Fit With Sophie on Amazon MX Player; Kriti Sanon, Malaika Arora to join as guests : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/sophie-choudry-host-famously-fit-sophie-amazon-mx-player-kriti-sanon-malaika-arora-join-guests/ |access-date=2026-03-30 |language=en}}</ref> |} *
== Discography == * "Yeh Dil Sun Raha Hai" (2000) as part of Sansara * "Habibi" (2000) * "Le Le Mera Dil" (2002) * "Sophie & Dr. Love" (2003) * "Baby Love - Sophie" (2004) * "Aap Jaisa Koi" in ''Sweet Honey Mix'' (2004)<ref>{{cite web |title=Harry Anand - Sweet Honey Mix |url=https://www.discogs.com/Harry-Anand-Sweet-Honey-Mix/release/12725544 |website=Discogs |access-date=20 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aap Jaisa Koi Meri Zindagi Mein Aaye [Full Song] Sweet Honey Mix |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JJLRykmFBE |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190208103110/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JJLRykmFBE |archive-date=8 February 2019 |url-status=dead |website=YouTube |publisher=T-Series |access-date=20 December 2018}}</ref> * "Sound of Sophie" (2009) * "Hungama Ho Gaya" (2012) digital single * "Hungama Ho Gaya" (2013) compilation album * "Do You Know Baby" (2015) * "Aaj Naiyo Sauna" (2019) * “Gori Hai” (2022) * “Aaj main Nachna” (2022) * “Lips” (2024)
==Awards== * 2001: UK Asian Pop Award for Best Female Newcomer<ref name="The versatile veejay"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.desiclub.com/desimusic/desimusic_features/printlisting.cfm?id=56 |title=Omar Explores Sophia Choudry |publisher=desiclub.com |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709015006/http://www.desiclub.com/desimusic/desimusic_features/printlisting.cfm?id=56 |archive-date=9 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ganaga.com/itemgirls/Bollywood_Item_Girl_Sophie_Chaudhary.asp |title=Sophie Chaudhary |publisher=ganaga.com |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023162805/http://ganaga.com/itemgirls/Bollywood_Item_Girl_sophie_chaudhary.asp |archive-date=23 October 2008 }}</ref> * 2004: Lycra MTV Style Award for Most Stylish Female in Music<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtvindia.com/styleawards/pastawards.html |title=The Lycra MTV Style Awards – Winners |publisher=MTV India |access-date=5 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306234045/http://www.mtvindia.com/styleawards/pastawards.html |archive-date=6 March 2009 }}</ref> * 2005: Bollywood Music Award for Best Female Pop Artist * 2019, Fit and Fab Icon * 2023 Most stylish pop diva of the year , Bollywood Hungama * 2024: Most stylish pop diva, Pinkvilla * 2024: Most stylish pop sensation of the year, Bollywood Hungama
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb name|id=1862678}} * {{official website|http://www.sophiechoudry.in/}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Choudry, Sophie}} Category:Living people Category:1982 births Category:Actresses from Manchester Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema Category:Actresses in Tamil cinema Category:Actresses in Telugu cinema Category:Actresses in Hindi television Category:Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics Category:Hindi-language playback singers Category:British expatriate actresses in India Category:British video jockeys Category:English expatriates in India Category:English film actresses Category:English people of Indian descent Category:English pop singers Category:English television actresses Category:Expatriate musicians in India Category:British expatriate musicians Category:Sciences Po alumni Category:Singers from Manchester Category:21st-century English actresses Category:21st-century English singers Category:21st-century English women singers