Sohail Khan recently opened up about a painful chapter from his childhood during the latest episode of Alliance. The Maine Dil Tujhko Diya actor revealed that he had faced sexual harassment as a young boy and kept the experience to himself for several years. Sohail shared this personal account while discussing his strong stance against bullying and ragging. He explained that his own past has shaped the way he guides and supports his sons, Nirvaan and Yohan.

While interacting with fellow contestants, Sohail spoke about the importance of creating an environment where children feel safe to share their concerns. He said he often encourages his sons to openly talk to him if they ever face bullying, discomfort or any situation that troubles them.

The actor said, “I am strongly against ragging. I have always told Yohan and Nirvaan, ‘Beta, don’t feel shy or embarrassed to come and tell me if someone is bullying you,’ because I have experienced this myself.”

“In fact, I was sexually harassed by someone when I was young, and I kept it to myself for years. When I grew up and became an adult, I finally confided in my father. I told him, ‘Daddy, this happened to me.’ He asked me, ‘Son, you kept this inside you for so many years?’ I said, ‘I am sorry, but I was too embarrassed to talk about it.’ It was not my fault, but at that time, you still feel the shame. So, I just keep on telling my children, “Boss, kuch bhi ho jaye, always share,” added Sohail.

Sohail Khan had earlier opened up about his marriage with Seema Sajdeh and reflected on the reasons behind their separation. The Tubelight actor admitted that his own actions and behavior played a role in the relationship falling apart.

“At that time, kaam theek nahi chal raha tha, so I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. Because of my behaviour, I lost someone I really loved.”

Actor, director, and producer Sohail Khan is set to make his reality show debut with Alliance. Calling it an opportunity to move beyond being only seen as “Salman Khan’s brother”, Sohail says, “In the show, there’s no family name to lean on. No industry clout. It’s just me, my mind, and how I play the game.” He adds, “If people walk away seeing a side of me they didn’t expect, good. That’s exactly why I’m here.”

Having watched his brother, Salman, host a reality show for years, Sohail says he never saw himself entering the same until now because the format demanded something different.

“I’ve seen what it takes, the energy, the drama, the emotional toll. And I always thought, ‘That’s his space, not mine’,” he says, adding, “Salman’s show is about personalities, conflicts and emotions. But this one is fundamentally different. It’s a game of the mind. Strategy. Outwitting people without them knowing they’ve been outwitted. That challenge appealed to me in a way nothing else has.”

Ask him how Salman reacted when he decided to participate, Sohail says his brother was both encouraging and cautious. “He was intrigued. And then he said, ‘You sure you know what you’re getting into?’ Which, knowing him, is both a warning and a blessing. I’ll take it,” says the 55-year-old.

Sohail also weighs in on what the Khan family dynamic would look like inside a reality TV show, saying each member would play the same role they do in real life. “The leader is obviously Salman.... He walks into any room and it reorganizes itself around him,” he says, adding, “The peacemaker would probably be Arbaaz (Khan, actor-director). He listens, mediates and keeps everyone grounded. And the master strategist? I’d say me, but honestly, it might be my mother (Salma Khan). She’s been managing this family for decades. Three sons, three different personalities, three different egos. If that’s not master-level strategy, I don’t know what is.”

As his son Nirvaan Khan, whom he shares with ex-wife, fashion designer Seema Sajdeh, prepares for his Bollywood debut, Sohail has one piece of advice: “He’s his own person. He’s going to find his own path, make his own mistakes and build his own career. The only thing I keep telling him is: be honest with yourself about why you want this. If it’s for the right reasons, the work will follow.”

Sohail shares, “That I’m someone who’s had it easy. Or that I’m ‘Salman’s brother.’ I’ve spent my career building things quietly, directing, producing, acting, without needing to be the loudest voice in the room.”