Ex Channel [V] VJ Sophiya Haque passes away

The news came as a bolt from the blue. Twitter was abuzz this morning that Sophiya Haque, one of India's first VJs had passed away in London. Of what it was not clear; speculation is that Cancer - the Big C - had claimed her life. Born of a Bangladeshi father and English mother, Sophiya attained instant celebrity in the 1990s as a VJ on the then music channel Channel [V}. One of the first VJs in India, she kept audiences glued to their sets courtesy her unique presentation style and chirpinees, her beauty, poise and vivacity and her bindaas attitude. Amongst the shows she was involved in included: Sophiya's Choice, Rewind, and The Ticket She then moved on to doing roles in Bollywood films such as Snip, Khoobsurat and Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya . There were many other films in which she starred in either for a dance number - before item numbers became hot courtesy Malaika Arora Khan an Katrina Kaif. Not too happy with the manner in which her career was progressing she moved back to London with her then beau Jules Fuller (who was the then business head of Channel [V] with whom she shared a good relationship. Sophiya acted in Brit TV in shows as Coronation Street and in West End musicals in London such as Far Pavillions apart from acting in a Hollywood film Wanted (2008) which also starred Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie. This apart she also replaced Ayesha Dharka in the Andrew Lylod Webber musical Bombay Dreams. Only recently as last month she was receiving rave reviews for the part she played in the West end musical Privates on Parade. "She leaves behind a lot of goodwill as she was a very humane down to earth person, and did not let her success and the adulation get to her," says a colleague who was close to her. And that is clear from the outpouring of shock and grief that has poured out from those in the entertainment business on social media. You leave behind many friends Sophiya. May you RIP.