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India Gazette
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
"Every book teaches me something, even the ones I leave unfinished...": Sonali Bendre talks about finding peace in reading
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Actor and author Sonali Bendre, known for her grace on screen and resilience off it, is also making waves in the literary space. In a candid conversation with ANI, Bendre reflected on her deeply personal relationship with books and the motivations behind her latest literary offering, 'A Book of Books.' The book, released in collaboration with her thriving online community, Sonali's Book Club, is not a traditional memoir or novel, as she explains it as a celebration of reading itself. 'It's essentially a book of recommendations -- books that touched me, inspired me, or simply stayed with me,' she shared, adding, 'It's an extension of the book club I started eight years ago, one of the largest digital book clubs in South Asia.' Bendre began the club as a way to reconnect with her own reading habits, which had taken a backseat amid the responsibilities of motherhood and career. 'I had lost touch with books in the hustle of life. The club gave me the structure to come back to it,' she said. One of the most striking ideas in 'A Book of Books' is the permission it grants readers, especially those who feel burdened by expectations, to let go of guilt around incomplete books. 'There is no shame in not finishing a book,' Bendre said, adding, 'You don't have to read a book just because it won awards. If it doesn't connect with you, it's okay to move on.' She drew from personal experiences, even recalling a moment during cancer treatment when she realised some books, despite their literary merit, were emotionally draining. 'I couldn't finish A Little Life. It's a brilliant book, but so sad. My book club members gently suggested I step away from it -- and they were right,' she told ANI. Reading habits evolve over time, and so has Bendre's. Once an avid consumer of heavy literature, she admits her preferences shifted post-illness. 'I used to read very dark books. Directors like Sooraj ji would tease me on sets, especially during Hum Saath Saath Hain, about my taste,' she laughed, adding, 'Later, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I understood what he meant. I needed books that healed, not hurt.' This transformation is reflected in her book as well, which includes ideas like creating a reading bucket list and finding the right time of day to read and for Bendre, that's the early morning hours, 'before the world wakes up.' Even in her early acting days, Bendre was known as the one who always had a book in hand, even in the absence of vanity vans. 'There was just a chair and a fan. While others chatted, I'd read,' she recalled, adding, 'People thought I was boring. Maybe I was! But I was happy being that kind of boring.' Over time, she's come to embrace that image. 'Being non-controversial doesn't make headlines. But I'm okay with that. Social media gave me a chance to connect with fans directly, without a journalist's filter.' 'A Book of Books' is designed for a wide spectrum of readers, from seasoned bibliophiles to children just beginning their literary journey. 'On page 64, I've written about children who struggle to read. It's important for parents not to force reading on them. The joy of reading should come naturally,' she said. The book is packed with inventive ideas, like exploring genres through the lens of Snow White's seven dwarves, or reflecting on how reading can be the 'cheapest way to travel,' a belief she holds dear from her childhood. 'We didn't have the means to travel. But reading books took me everywhere, to the past, the future, across time and even other planets,' she said. While Bendre modestly claims she's 'not an amazing writer,' her book's thoughtful content says otherwise. In fact, it was HarperCollins who nudged her into the project after seeing the impact of her book club's recommendations. She said, 'I initially said no. But when they suggested a book about the books I love, it felt right.' The result is a work that blends memoir, advice, reflection, and recommendations, all rooted in a deep love for literature. On the professional front, Bendre recently made her OTT debut with ZEE5's 'The Broken News', where she portrayed journalist Amina Qureshi. She first entered Bollywood with 'Aag' in 1994 and rose to fame with 'Diljale' in 1996. Over the years, she's been part of acclaimed films like 'Sarfarosh', 'Zakhm', 'Major Saab', 'Duplicate', and 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'. In 2018, Bendre was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment in the USA. Her recovery journey has not only made her an advocate for cancer awareness but also brought her closer to literature, both as a source of comfort and a means of connection. 'I may not finish every book I start,' she said with a smile, adding, 'But every book teaches me something -- even the ones I leave unfinished.' (ANI)
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
'Every book teaches me something, even the ones I leave unfinished...': Sonali Bendre talks about finding peace in reading
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): Actor and author Sonali Bendre, known for her grace on screen and resilience off it, is also making waves in the literary space. In a candid conversation with ANI, Bendre reflected on her deeply personal relationship with books and the motivations behind her latest literary offering, 'A Book of Books.' The book, released in collaboration with her thriving online community, Sonali's Book Club, is not a traditional memoir or novel, as she explains it as a celebration of reading itself. "It's essentially a book of recommendations -- books that touched me, inspired me, or simply stayed with me," she shared, adding, "It's an extension of the book club I started eight years ago, one of the largest digital book clubs in South Asia." Bendre began the club as a way to reconnect with her own reading habits, which had taken a backseat amid the responsibilities of motherhood and career. "I had lost touch with books in the hustle of life. The club gave me the structure to come back to it," she said. One of the most striking ideas in 'A Book of Books' is the permission it grants readers, especially those who feel burdened by expectations, to let go of guilt around incomplete books. "There is no shame in not finishing a book," Bendre said, adding, "You don't have to read a book just because it won awards. If it doesn't connect with you, it's okay to move on." She drew from personal experiences, even recalling a moment during cancer treatment when she realised some books, despite their literary merit, were emotionally draining. "I couldn't finish A Little Life. It's a brilliant book, but so sad. My book club members gently suggested I step away from it -- and they were right," she told ANI. Reading habits evolve over time, and so has Bendre's. Once an avid consumer of heavy literature, she admits her preferences shifted post-illness. "I used to read very dark books. Directors like Sooraj ji would tease me on sets, especially during Hum Saath Saath Hain, about my taste," she laughed, adding, "Later, when I was diagnosed with cancer, I understood what he meant. I needed books that healed, not hurt." This transformation is reflected in her book as well, which includes ideas like creating a reading bucket list and finding the right time of day to read and for Bendre, that's the early morning hours, "before the world wakes up." Even in her early acting days, Bendre was known as the one who always had a book in hand, even in the absence of vanity vans. "There was just a chair and a fan. While others chatted, I'd read," she recalled, adding, "People thought I was boring. Maybe I was! But I was happy being that kind of boring." Over time, she's come to embrace that image. "Being non-controversial doesn't make headlines. But I'm okay with that. Social media gave me a chance to connect with fans directly, without a journalist's filter." 'A Book of Books' is designed for a wide spectrum of readers, from seasoned bibliophiles to children just beginning their literary journey. "On page 64, I've written about children who struggle to read. It's important for parents not to force reading on them. The joy of reading should come naturally," she said. The book is packed with inventive ideas, like exploring genres through the lens of Snow White's seven dwarves, or reflecting on how reading can be the "cheapest way to travel," a belief she holds dear from her childhood. "We didn't have the means to travel. But reading books took me everywhere, to the past, the future, across time and even other planets," she said. While Bendre modestly claims she's "not an amazing writer," her book's thoughtful content says otherwise. In fact, it was HarperCollins who nudged her into the project after seeing the impact of her book club's recommendations. She said, "I initially said no. But when they suggested a book about the books I love, it felt right." The result is a work that blends memoir, advice, reflection, and recommendations, all rooted in a deep love for literature. On the professional front, Bendre recently made her OTT debut with ZEE5's 'The Broken News', where she portrayed journalist Amina Qureshi. She first entered Bollywood with 'Aag' in 1994 and rose to fame with 'Diljale' in 1996. Over the years, she's been part of acclaimed films like 'Sarfarosh', 'Zakhm', 'Major Saab', 'Duplicate', and 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'. In 2018, Bendre was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment in the USA. Her recovery journey has not only made her an advocate for cancer awareness but also brought her closer to literature, both as a source of comfort and a means of connection. "I may not finish every book I start," she said with a smile, adding, "But every book teaches me something -- even the ones I leave unfinished." (ANI)
Hindustan Times
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Mad respect for authors, won't call myself one yet: Sonali Bendre
New Delhi, Actor Sonali Bendre, who recently released her second book "A Book of Books", says she has "mad respect" for authors and would not call herself one until she writes at least 20 of them. Bendre, best known for films such as "Diljale", "Major Saab", "Sarfarosh", "Zakhm", and "Hum Saath Saath Hain", said being a public figure gives her the "privilege" to write and engage in meaningful conversations though she still primarily views herself as an actor. "I'll call myself an author only if I write 20 books, not before that. I have some mad respect for authors what they do, the way they write, the way an author can transport you somewhere, the way they make you think; only an author can do that. "So, I have really not thought of myself as an author in that sense. I have always looked at myself more as an actor, but it is a creative field. I am a creative person, and there are various ways through which you express your creativity," Bendre told PTI in an interview. The actor's passion for books led her to launch 'Sonali's Book Club', a digital community that celebrates literature and meaningful conversations. She made debut as an author in 2015 with "The Modern Gurukul: My Experiment with Parenting". Her latest endeavour, "A Book of Books", is intended for everyone both avid readers and those less inclined and delves into the importance of reading, especially the value of starting young. Replete with colourful illustrations by Rohina Thapar, it also suggests what to read, with recommendations for children, young adults and adults, across genres and for varied reading interests. Bitten by the reading bug since childhood, the 50-year-old actor admits she would choose books over movies any day. She also feels that book-to-screen adaptations often fail to capture the true essence of the originals. However, Bendre said that "Dune", the American epic space opera film franchise adapted from Frank Herbert's 1965 novels, has come close to doing justice to the original work. "I still stand by the fact that no movie can do justice to books, but this comes close," she explained. That said, the actor has been actively searching for the right book for adaptation either for production or one in which she could play a character. "I haven't found that book yet, but I am looking for it, and I am sure I will find it," she said, adding that in Bollywood, her "Hum Saath Saath Hain" co-star Saif Ali Khan is also a "voracious reader". "It was good to exchange notes with Saif and have his recommendations in books". Bendre, who is married to producer Goldie Behl, took a break from work after she welcomed her son Ranveer in 2005 and later appeared as a judge on reality TV shows such as "India's Got Talent", "India's Best Dramebaaz" and TV series "Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye". She went on a seven-year hiatus in 2018 when she was diagnosed with cancer. During her recovery, Bendre credited reading especially a book on tennis icon Serena Williams that detailed her struggles, challenging pregnancies, and triumphant return to championship wins as a vital part of her healing journey. "She was such a role model. I thought, 'See what she has gone through, and she has come back to the physical fitness level of winning a championship'. Picking out stories like that, stories that encourage you to heal yourself, to try not just to get back to what you were, but to be better than what you were. "I really took my illness as a journey that was helping me educate myself, helping me evolve as a person, and because I was looking at it in that sense, the kinds of books I was reading also changed," she added. Bendre returned to acting with the first season of the ZEE5 web series "The Broken News", which premiered in 2022. The second chapter of the TV newsroom drama premiered last year. Having written two non-fiction books, Bendre who likes to pick something in the fantasy fiction genre to decompress herself hopes to write a novel in the future. "There are many stories and characters that come to mind, and they stay with me. But then I feel like I can't take them all the way to a full book. I can't make a whole story out of them. So maybe when I have a little more time, someday I'll pick out these various characters and see if I can bring them together and write something. You never say never," she added. "A Book of Books", priced at ₹599, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores.
