By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On Her Birth Anniversary
Sonika Gill who earlier appeared in “Kachchi Kali”, plays a seductive Vivia in Subhash Ghai’s superhit “Ram Lakhan” (1989) featuring -Raakhee, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Madhuri Dixit and Amrish Puri assisted by Paresh Rawal, Anupam Kher, Gulshan Grover, Saeed Jaffrey and Satish Kaushik. It was purely a masala film made to entertain the lower & middle class audience with a lovely song “Tera Naam Liya Tujhe Yaad Kiya” to mention. It was the second highest grossing film of the Year 1989 ahead of ‘Chandni’ & ‘Tridev’ with “Maine Pyaar Kiya” topping the list. Interestingly, Sonika Gill also featured in few songs of the film including “Daalo Khaaq, O Ji O Hero Bolo Ji Zero”. Interestingly, the actress is even today known for her performances in three films notably – “Kachchi Kali”(1987) , “Laash” (1998) & “Ram Lakhan” (1989). She played Vivia, a vamp, with aplomb.
Sonika Gill hit the headlines first when she was cast in “Kachchi Kali” , playing an innocent virgin who is lured away into prostitution by her lover (Ajinkya Deo) who produces blue films. Alok Nath plays her brother. It was a much publicized film like “Khuli Khidki” to draw crowds into the cinema halls. The other film “Laash” also was a horror movie of a haunted house where every visitor gets killed.
Sonika Gill also appeared in a Punjabi movie titled “Yaara Naal Bahaara” which was reportedly well received in The East Punjab territory & London.”Daal Main Kuch Kala Hai”(2012)& “Shaatir The Fox” (2014) were some of her last movies. Sonika was denied the kind of roles she was made for. She always got a raw deal excepting in a few cases. In between she also got married & moved to Dubai to work as a hostess at Hostel Moghul Room for some time.
