EastEnders fans shocked to discover Priya star’s real life mum is famous actress from hit 00s film

EASTENDERS fans have been left shocked as they have discovered the real identity of Priya actress Sophie Levy Khan’s real-life mum – and she’s pretty famous.

Sophie is best known for playing Priya Nandra-Hart on the BBC One soap, but it turns out acting is in her blood as her mum Shaheen Khan is an actress, too.

EastEnders fans were taken aback to discover that Sophie’s mum Shaheen had a major role in the 2002 hit film Bend It Like Beckham. 

Shaheen started in the movie as Mrs Bhamra. 

In the movie, Mrs Bhamra put a lot of emphasis on tradition, helping her oldest daughter Pinky (Archie Panjabi) plan her Indian wedding while also trying to coax her younger daughter Jess (Parminder Nagra) down the same path. 

She was more interested in playing football, becoming a star like her idol David Beckham, who has a cameo at the end of the movie. 

New Amsterdam’s Anupam Kher, All Saints singer Shaznay Lewis, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Hollywood icon Keira Knightley also star in the film.

Shaheen has also made some notable small screen appearances. She played Kiran Joghill in the BBC’s medical soap drama Casualty in the late ‘80s and has featured in other BBC shows such as Doctors and Doctor Who.

Sophie keeps her relationship with her mum pretty private, but it’s clear from her Instagram that she enjoys a close relationship with her family. 

Fans were left gobsmacked upon discovering that Shaheen is Sophie’s real-life mum, with one TikTok user exclaiming: “Omg didn’t know the Bend It Like Beckham mum was her mum.”

“I didn’t know this, I love the film Bend It Like Beckham and [Sophie’s] so good as Priya,” praised another. 

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

Sophie has obviously gone on to inherit the acting gene from her mum. 

She has been acting for years, notably portraying Gabrielle Ade in the chilling ‘true’ BBC drama, The Sixth Commandment, in 2023.

She also appeared as Florence Pandhi in the veterinary drama All Creatures Great and Small in 2022 and as Beth in James Corden’s Amazon Prime series Mammals before taking on the role of Priya. 

Prior to arrival in Walford last year, Sophie shared her excitement about her new role, admitting she is a long-time fan of the soap.

“I’m super excited to be joining the show, and I can’t wait to see what trouble Priya gets herself into!” she said in a statement.

“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,” Sophie added. 

Priya’s arrival on the Square last year came as a big shock to the Panesar clan as she arrived with her and Ravi Gulati’s (Aaron Thiara) daughter Avani (played by Aaliyah James) in tow.

The revelation that Ravi had an unknown daughter as well as the son they share left him and the entire Panesar family in shock.

Priya and Avani quickly became central to many dramatic storylines. From reconnecting with her son Davinder (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury), the Panesar family’s internal conflicts to Priya’s own romantic complications, their time in the square has been anything but calm.

Who could forget Priya propositioning her ex-boyfriend’s dad, Nish (Navin Chowdhry), in a torrid money-grabbing move?

In recent episodes, Priya has been supporting Avani as her grandfather Nish’s health has been declining since he was diagnosed with a terminal illness.