Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2018. After fighting the illness and recovering, she made her comeback in 2022 with a web series called ‘The Broken News’. In the same year, she also appeared as a judge on the dance reality show ‘DID Li’l Masters’. After her recovery, Sonali consciously decided to avoid dark and heavy roles, as she felt they could drain her emotionally. She was very clear about the kind of work she wanted to take up.
Sonali Bendre on choosing lighter roles for her emotional well-being
In a conversation with News18, she opened up about her mindset, saying, “I really wanted to play hopeful and lighter roles that would’ve kept me happy through it all, and I could’ve come back pepped up. I wanted work like that, especially since I had been through a really dark period. I was coming out of it and didn’t want to do work that would trigger me and make me spiral. It was such a fun film (‘Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega’). The amount of fun Saif (Ali Khan) and I had shooting for it! The energy was great on set. There are very few good, fun and light-hearted stories like that which were being written”.
How ‘Raakh’ changed Sonali Bendre’s mind
Interestingly, her latest show ‘Raakh’, which is a dark and intense watch, was never on her list. But the project came to her, and she couldn’t say no. “Raakh wasn’t something I was looking for. I wasn’t open to it, but it came my way. It just goes to show how compelling the content was. The script was so amazing, and so was my character and the entire team involved. There was no way I could’ve said no to it. I hope I keep getting stuff like Raakh – stuff I can’t say no to. I do hope more creators and directors see me as someone that people usually don’t see me as. I really didn’t think people were seeing me for roles like this one. Every time I felt I wasn’t being seen that way, somebody was. It took some time, but I’m glad it came to me,” Sonali shared.
Sonali Bendre is grateful for where she stands today
Although Sonali wishes she had more screen time in the show, she believes it has opened doors for future opportunities. “It’s not the length I like. I would’ve loved to see more of me in the series. But I’m glad I took the chance because it has been an exceptionally amazing experience.” She also acknowledges that many filmmakers today are still figuring out how to cast her, but instead of dwelling on that, she looks at the positive side. “The age I’m at, if I were this age in the nineties when I had started out, I wouldn’t have gotten the roles I’m getting today. That’s why I say I’m in a good space. But can it get better? Of course, it can, and I hope it does. But there are so many ways of storytelling and so many stories being told now. At that time, what was the scope of telling these stories? I’m grateful for what’s there,” she remarked.
Sonali Bendre’s work front
Sonali Bendre is currently seen in ‘Raakh’ along with Ali Fazal and Aamir Bashir. The show is full of mystery and thrills that keep the audience hooked till the end. It is directed by Prosit Roy and written and co-directed by Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket. The series started streaming on Prime Video in India on June 12.
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