Sonali Bendre became one of the biggest names in the film industry during the 1990s. And, with fame came several rumours of on-set romances that tend to spread quickly. However, in a recent conversation with Times Now, the actress reflected on what led to these rumours and how she dealt with such speculation during the early years of her career.
Sonali Bendre opened up about the reasons behind the rumours regarding her link-ups
In a candid conversation with Times Now, the actress opened up about why and how these speculations regarding her link-ups started early in her career. She reflected on how she developed resilience to face these baseless rumours and navigated through the industry in times of pressure. Sonali revealed that, more often than not, the rumours were the result of an overactive imagination of the journalist. She added while click-bait was not viable back then, it was these catchy headlines that sold the magazines. She stated:
“I realised that sometimes it’s an overactive imagination of the journalist. Because Today, you talk about clickbait; that time, it was headlines, and that headline sold the magazine.”
In the same conversation, Sonali Bendre revealed that while at times producers wanted to start rumours for PR, other times it was the actors who wanted to feel good about themselves. She added that several reasons contributed to these rumours and any one person cannot be blamed for them. She shared that while this environment caused several stressful moments, it also brought her fame, money and work. She was quoted as saying:
“But sometimes, it was because either the producer wanted the PR or the actors wanted to feel good about themselves, and that’s why they were putting it out. There were multiple reasons for things to go out. So, you couldn’t blame any one person. That was the circumstance and a part of the environment. So, the fact was that the same environment was giving me fame, money, and work.”
Sonali Bendre on learning from her mistakes when it came to the rumours
In the same conversation, Sonali Bendre revealed that she quickly learned from her experience in the industry that this was just how the industry worked. She soon understood that there would be rumours and she could not do anything about them. So, she made it a point that instead of nipping and butting, she developed a thicker skin. She was quoted as saying:
“You learn to grow slightly thicker skin. I didn’t make the same mistake twice. Once I learnt a lesson, I understood that this is how it works, and then I knew how to deal with it and nip it in the butt the next time. So, it never happened again.”
Sonali Bendre on being able to adapt to every condition
In the same conversation, Sonali Bendre credited much of her adaptability to her childhood. She revealed that as a child, she would have to frequently change schools due to constant travel. She recalled that they would have to move almost every two years, which made her comfortable with change and taught her to adjust to new environments and be self-reliant. These experiences helped her resist the need for external validation and manage peer pressure with ease.
What are your thoughts on Sonali Bendre’s revelations? Let us know.
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