Sonal Chauhan is an actress, singer and model who performs mostly in Hindi and Telugu films. She did her schooling at the Delhi Public School, NOIDA. She then pursued a philosophy honours degree at Gargi college, New Delhi. In 2005, Sonal Chauhan became the first Indian to win the Miss World Tourism contest at Miri, Malaysia.

She has participated in many fashion shows. As a model, she has endorsed brands like Pond’s, Hero Honda, Dish TV, LG, Nokia, Reliance CDMA, Delhi Times and Hindustan Times. In 2011, she was the showstopper for YS18 at the India International Jewellery Week (IIJS).

Sonal Chauhan made her acting debut with the crime romance movie Jannat (2008) opposite ‘serial kisser’ Emraan Hashmi. She was signed by director Kunal Deshmukh after he spotted her at a restaurant. She had earlier appeared in Himesh Reshammiya's album Aap Ka Suroor.

Her next Hindi movie was Bbuddah... Hoga Terra Baap (2011) with Amitabh Bachchan. In 2013, she appeared opposite Neil Nitin Mukesh in the horror film 3G and also sang the song ‘Kaise Bataoon’.

Sonal Chauhan has acted in Telugu movies like Rainbow (2008), Legend (2014), Pandaga Chesko (2015), Sher (2015), Size Zero (2015) and Dictator (2016). She has also starred in the Kannada movie Cheluveye Ninne Nodalu (2010). In 2018, she has featured in the war film Paltan and the romantic comedy Jack & Dil.

In 2017, Sonal Chauhan won the TRS TV National Film award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in Dictator (2016).