Sanjay Passi, the husband of Netflix star Shalini Passi, is the Chairman and Managing Director of the Pasco Group, a North Indian automobile dealership empire with a reported turnover of Rs 2,690 crore. He was born on September 22, 1967, studied B.Com (Honours) at Hansraj College in Delhi University, and has been married to Shalini since March 25, 1996.
While Shalini became a household name after appearing on Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives Season 3 on Netflix in October 2024, Sanjay has operated largely behind the scenes for decades. His business portfolio, his long friendship with Shah Rukh Khan, and his low-key generosity paint a picture of a man who prefers boardrooms over cameras.
Who Is Sanjay Passi? The Man Behind the Pasco Group
Shalini Passi’s husband is a 58-year-old Delhi-based industrialist who chairs the Pasco Group, one of North India’s largest authorized automobile dealership networks for Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki. He took over his father B.L. Passi’s Tata Motors dealership in Chandigarh in 1989, straight out of college, and expanded it into a chain of 23 showrooms and 10 service outlets spanning multiple North Indian states.
Born on September 22, 1967, he completed his B.Com (Honours) degree at Hansraj College, Delhi University. Multiple reports indicate he also completed an executive programme at Harvard Business School, though the exact year remains unspecified in public records.
Pasco Group: Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki Dealerships
The Pasco Group (also referred to as Tata Pasco Motors in some filings) is rooted in commercial vehicle dealerships. B.L. Passi, Sanjay’s father, founded the original Tata Motors dealership. Under Sanjay’s leadership since 1989, the group diversified into Maruti Suzuki passenger vehicles and grew its service network across North India.
According to Hindustan Times (2024), the Pasco Group reported an annual turnover of approximately Rs 2,690 crore in FY 2021-22. That figure positions the group among the larger regional dealership networks in the country, though it falls well short of national players like Landmark Cars or Sterling Dealers.
| Detail | Sanjay Passi |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sanjay Passi |
| Date of Birth | September 22, 1967 |
| Education | B.Com (Honours), Hansraj College, Delhi University |
| Company | Pasco Group (Chairman & MD) |
| Industry | Automobile Dealerships (Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki) |
| Showrooms | 23 showrooms, 10 service outlets across North India |
| Turnover | ~Rs 2,690 crore (FY 2021-22) |
| Residence | Golf Links, New Delhi |
The Shah Rukh Khan Connection
Sanjay and Shah Rukh Khan attended Hansraj College together in the mid-1980s and have remained close friends for over four decades. Both families now own homes in Delhi’s exclusive Golf Links neighborhood. SRK and Gauri Khan attended Sanjay and Shalini’s 1996 wedding, and the next generation maintains the bond too. Robin Passi, Sanjay and Shalini’s son, studied alongside Aryan Khan at the University of Southern California.
“Shalini Passi revealed that her husband, Sanjay, and Shah Rukh Khan were schoolmates!”
— r/BollyBlindsNGossip, December 2024 (43 upvotes)
This aligns with reporting by Meaww (2024), which confirmed the Hansraj College connection and noted that Aryan Khan’s brand launch event was hosted at the Passi residence in Golf Links.
Sanjay Passi’s Net Worth and the Family Fortune
The Passi family’s combined net worth is widely estimated at approximately Rs 2,600 crore, driven primarily by the Pasco Group’s automobile dealership revenues. Shalini Passi’s personal net worth is estimated at around Rs 80 crore, separate from Sanjay’s business holdings.
The couple lives in a 20,000-square-foot bungalow in Golf Links, one of Delhi’s most expensive residential neighborhoods. The property overlooks the Delhi Golf Club and reportedly houses a significant private art collection curated by Shalini over decades.
“Her husband is a big businessman. She is an art connoisseur which is her hobby not her primary source of income. Also they know SRK & Gauri since years.”
— r/LaughterChefColors, March 2026 (11 upvotes) — a casual Bollywood and celebrity chat community with a generally admiring tone toward Shalini
Philanthropy and Quiet Generosity
The Passis donated Rs 10 crore to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in 2021. Shalini has also stated publicly that she donated her entire appearance fee from Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives to a village in Bihar. Sanjay’s philanthropy tends to stay off the record, but one widely discussed incident revealed something telling about his character.
“Shalini and her husband literally saved Bhavana’s father’s life. All I see Bhavana ganging up with the rest to bully her. Wonder what it tells about her as a person.”
— r/BollyBlindsNGossip, October 2024 (33 upvotes, 216 comments)
The thread referenced Bhavana Panday’s father, suggesting the Passis intervened during a medical emergency. The incident became a talking point among fans who felt Shalini was treated unfairly on the show despite her family’s off-camera generosity.
Shalini and Sanjay Passi: An Arranged Marriage That Started With a Gate-Crash
Shalini and Sanjay married on March 25, 1996, in an arranged match with an unconventional origin story. Sanjay’s family spotted Shalini singing and dancing at a school classmate’s wedding they had not been invited to, gatecrashed the event to meet her, and proposed a match shortly afterward.
Shalini was approximately 20 years old at the time. Sanjay, born in 1967, was about nine years her senior. According to BollywoodShaadis (2024), Shalini had one strict condition for any prospective husband: he must be completely free of smoking, drinking, and gambling. Sanjay met every criterion.
How Sanjay’s Family Found Shalini
In a 2024 Hindustan Times interview, Shalini described the meeting with characteristic humor. Sanjay’s family attended a wedding uninvited after hearing about an impressive young woman. “They found the perfect girl” was how the family described the encounter afterward. The proposal followed soon after, and the couple married within the year.
The age gap between them has occasionally drawn speculation online. One Reddit thread titled “Curious Whispers About Shalini Passi’s Early Marriage Days” attracted 28 upvotes and 36 comments in r/BollyBlindsNGossip (October 2024), though the discussion remained largely speculative with no substantiated claims.
Their Son Robin Passi
Sanjay and Shalini have one son, Robin Passi, born in 1997. Robin attended the University of Southern California, reportedly alongside Aryan Khan, and is positioned as the sole heir to the Pasco Group empire. According to GQ India (2024), Robin moves in the same social circles as Suhana Khan, Ananya Panday, and Ahaan Panday.
Shalini has described her relationship with Robin as “sibling-like” given she was barely 21 when he was born. In 2013, when Robin left for university, Shalini shaved her head at Tirupati as a personal transformation gesture. She confirmed this when addressing hair transplant rumors in December 2024, telling Indian Express: “I have shaved my hair in Tirupati four times.”
Relationship Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| Mid-1990s | Sanjay’s family spots Shalini at a wedding (the famous gate-crash) |
| March 25, 1996 | Shalini and Sanjay marry; SRK and Gauri Khan attend |
| 1997 | Son Robin Passi is born |
| 2013 | Robin leaves for USC; Shalini shaves her head at Tirupati |
| 2018 | Shalini founds the Shalini Passi Art Foundation and MASH India |
| October 2024 | Shalini debuts on Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives Season 3 |
| 2026 | Shalini joins The Traitors Season 2 cast; publishes The Art of Being Fabulous |
How Netflix Changed the Passi Family’s Public Profile
Before October 2024, Shalini’s husband was virtually unknown outside Delhi business circles. Shalini’s breakout appearance on Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives Season 3 changed that overnight, turning both their names into trending search terms.
The show, produced by Dharmatic Entertainment for Netflix, pitted three Delhi socialites (Shalini, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, and Kalyani Saha Chawla) against the original Mumbai cast. Shalini’s viral one-liner, “The only reason I don’t hold grudges against other people is because it affects my skin,” became one of the most-shared quotes from the season.
He has never appeared on the show or spoken publicly about it. Yet online communities paint a consistent picture of a supportive, camera-shy partner who bankrolls Shalini’s creative pursuits without seeking credit. Once listed among India’s highest taxpayers according to Economic Times (2024), Shalini’s husband lets the balance sheet do the talking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shalini Passi’s husband?
Shalini Passi’s husband is Sanjay Passi, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Pasco Group, a major automobile dealership company operating Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki showrooms across North India. They married on March 25, 1996.
What is Sanjay Passi’s net worth?
The Passi family’s combined net worth is estimated at approximately Rs 2,600 crore (roughly $300 million), primarily derived from the Pasco Group’s automobile business, which reported a turnover of Rs 2,690 crore in FY 2021-22.
How old is Sanjay Passi?
Sanjay Passi was born on September 22, 1967, making him 58 years old as of 2026. He is approximately nine years older than Shalini, who was born in 1975 or 1976.
What business does Sanjay Passi run?
Sanjay Passi runs the Pasco Group, which operates 23 authorized automobile dealerships and 10 service outlets for Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki across North India. He took over the business from his father B.L. Passi in 1989.
How did Shalini and Sanjay Passi meet?
Their marriage was arranged. Sanjay’s family noticed Shalini at a wedding they had gatecrashed and proposed a match shortly afterward. Shalini’s one condition was that her husband must not smoke, drink, or gamble.
Is Sanjay Passi friends with Shah Rukh Khan?
Yes. Sanjay Passi and Shah Rukh Khan were college friends at Hansraj College, Delhi University in the 1980s. Both families now live in Golf Links, New Delhi, and SRK attended the Passis’ 1996 wedding.
Who is Robin Passi?
Robin Passi is the only son of Sanjay and Shalini Passi, born in 1997. He attended the University of Southern California and is the sole heir to the Pasco Group empire. He is friends with Aryan Khan and other Bollywood star kids.
A Power Couple on Their Own Terms
The Pasco Group chairman built a Rs 2,690-crore automobile dealership empire while his wife built a reputation as one of India’s most visible art collectors and reality television personalities. Their nearly three-decade marriage, which started with a gatecrashed wedding and a strict no-smoking condition, has produced a family that straddles Delhi’s business elite and Mumbai’s entertainment circles.
He stays off camera. She thrives on it. The arrangement, by all visible accounts, works.
