Sonali Bendre spoke about her journey in films, the pressures of stardom, battling self-doubt, and how surviving cancer changed her understanding of success. Reflecting on her career, the actress particularly revisited Sarfarosh’s legacy and revealed that the film was initially rejected by many.Speaking about the film’s impact, Sonali told Variety India, “My films have never been commercially successful or described as hits, but Sarfarosh, when it came out, people wrote it up as a documentary. I don’t know if you remember but it was written off that way.”She added that even when the film eventually became a success, it did not receive the appreciation she had hoped for. “When the film did well, everyone was surprised that Sarfarosh did so well and I remember the reviews saying that I was the comedic character in the film.
So I wasn’t the lead actor… So I said, ‘Hey, I finally have a hit movie.’ “I hope to be nominated.” Then I was told, “Oh yeah, but that wasn’t your movie.” I was just the comic relief.
“So I wasn’t nominated for it anyway.”
“The best is yet to come”
Despite this disappointment, Sonali said that she has always tried to focus on improving herself rather than chasing fame. Recalling her early years in the industry, she admitted that she got into films almost by accident after participating in a college fashion show when another participant injured herself.
“That was the first time I started looking at it in a different way. What is this industry? What is this kind of money? I never understood that there could be this kind of money,” she said, recalling how modeling assignments slowly led her to cinema.The actress also shared that she never imagined becoming an actress while growing up in a conservative family in Maharashtra. “There were engineers, doctors and IAS officers.
“Movies were a rarity, and film magazines certainly weren’t what came into my house,” she said.Sonali revealed that she got to the Stardust Academy audition by mistake, thinking it was for an advertisement. “But I’m not interested in becoming an actor,” I said. No, I will come back,” she recalls, “but they convinced my family.”Looking back at her performance today, she said she still feels she could have done better.
“For me, if you ask me even today, I feel like the best is yet to come.”
“I’ve never enjoyed this process before.”
The actress also spoke about how her cancer diagnosis changed her outlook on work and life. Sonali said the pause forced her to re-evaluate her relationship with acting.“I realized all the time that I was doubting because I was not a trained actress. I always doubted my abilities so much that I never enjoyed the process,” she admitted.She added that after her recovery, she began to approach work differently.
“Today when I do that, I realize that and I feel like I should… I’ve been given a second chance. I should make the most of it.”Sonali also spoke about losing nearly five years of work during the rise of streaming platforms due to her illness. However, she credited OTT platforms and multiplex cinema for creating space for more layered female characters.“I didn’t want to keep taking on roles that were inappropriate for my age.
“I wanted to play my age with elegance,” she said, adding that projects like The Broken News finally gave her that opportunity.
“Comedy is something I like to do.”
During the interaction, Sonali also revealed that comedy remains a genre that she wants to explore more seriously.“I really feel that comedy is something I love to do,” she said, recalling how she discovered her comedic timing while working in films like Sarfarosh and Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega.She added: “I want to see something beautiful, light and hopeful… and it doesn’t have to be heavy and dark all the time.”Speaking about the changing film industry, Sonali also pointed out that today’s sets are more inclusive of technicians and actresses. She recalled a time when actresses did not have go-karts and would often spend entire shooting days without basic facilities.
On male-dominated Bollywood
Speaking about how male stars continue to headline films while actresses of the same generation fade from the mainstream, Sonali said the issue reflects society as a whole.“The industry is just a microcosm of society,” she said. “The responsibility lies with the audience who goes and watches it. If they stopped watching it, they wouldn’t make films this way.”She added that while change is necessary, the emergence of OTT platforms and newer forms of storytelling is gradually creating more opportunities for female-led narratives and age-appropriate roles.
