Though Sonali made her acting debut in 1994 with ‘Aag’, her breakthrough came with the 1996 film ‘Diljale’. Starring Ajay Devgn, Madhoo, and Sonali in the lead, ‘Diljale’ is a romantic action film, helmed by Harry Baweja. It also featured Amrish Puri, Parmeet Sethi, Gulshan Grover, and Shakti Kapoor in supporting roles. The film follows the story of ‘Shyam’ who turns from a patriot to a terrorist after his father is humiliated. The film turned out to be a huge blockbuster and is one of the most loved films of Ajay and Sonali’s careers.

After the success of ‘Diljale’, Sonali and Ajay paired up once again for ‘Zakhm’. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, it starred them in the leading roles. Actors Pooja Bhatt, Ashutosh Rana, Nagarjuna, and Kunal Kemmu were also featured in pivotal roles. ‘Zakhm’ tells the story of a young man who discovers his mother’s real religious identity and her life’s struggles. Upon her mother’s death, he tries to complete her last wish but comes across several hindrances.

Written, produced, and directed by John Matthew Matthan, ‘Sarfarosh’ is a 1999 action-thriller starring Aamir Khan and Naseeruddin Shah in the leading roles. Sonali played the female protagonist and Aamir’s love interest in the movie, while Mukesh Rishi, Akhilendra Mishra, Makarand Deshpande, Govind Namdev, and others were seen in supporting roles. A major commercial success, ‘Sarfarosh’ is based on state-sponsored terrorism in India.

Salman Khan and Sonali’s pairing in ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ is touted to be one of the best pairings of the ‘90s era. They were paired opposite each other as Prem and Preeti in the Sooraj R Barjatya directorial. Released in November 1999, it also starred Mohnish Bahl, Tabu, Saif Ali Khan, and Karisma Kapoor, in the leading roles. A family drama, ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ is a story of three brothers, their bond, and how a family goes through separation due to misunderstandings.