Sonali Bendre did not harbor dreams of becoming an actor like many starry-eyed individuals. It was pure fate that led her to the city and set her on the path of acting. Coming from a background where her father, an ‘honest’ central government employee, faced constant transfers, Sonali witnessed her parents’ financial struggles firsthand. It was during her teenage years when her father was transferred to Mumbai that her story took a new turn. Sonali Bendre recently shared in an interview how receiving her first paycheck and realizing the potential earnings significantly shaped her decision-making process at that time.
Upon receiving her first paycheck in the early 90s, Sonali was astonished to find out that the contract amounted to Rs 25000, a considerably large sum at that time. This revelation sparked her realization of the promising financial prospects that a career in the show business held for her. She told Mid-Day, “Thing that changed for me was when I saw the contract. Whatever you give and what they said they will give was also like ‘what! I can make this and that got me thinking. So,I said, this world exists? And that’s when I told my father, look at my age. I have the time. I have it on my side. I promise you, give me three years. If this doesn’t work out, I will do what you’re saying, but look at the amount of money. If it works out, I can use that for life.”
Describing the financial challenges her family faced at the time, Sonali viewed her entry into the entertainment industry as a means to uplift her family from those circumstances. Reflecting on her motivation, Sonali added, “If my father was not going through that kind of a struggle, and if I was not seeing how my parents were struggling and what they were feeling, I would have probably not stood up and said, I’m doing it.”
Having begun her career as a model in her teenage years, Sonali transitioned into Bollywood after working on numerous advertisements. She gained recognition for her roles in films like Diljale(1996),Duplicate(1997), Major Saab(1998) and Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (2000). Recently, milestones were reached as her movies Sarfarosh and Hum Saath Saath Hain celebrated their 25th anniversaries earlier this year.
Following a break due to her battle with cancer, Sonali marked her return to acting with the web series The Broken News (2022). Her most recent appearance was in the second season of the mentioned web show, signifying her ongoing dedication to her craft and connection with her audience.
She had previously opened up about her illness during an interview with Hindustan Times, “My illness has taught me that beauty is in imperfection. Perfect things are not as beautiful as imperfect things are. I have learnt to love my imperfections. Now, I don’t want to be stuck with just the looks. I want something beyond that which is where Broken News comes in.”
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