Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre has opened up about her evolving relationship with superstar Salman Khan, admitting that she didn't quite like him when they first shared screen space in the 1999 family blockbuster Hum Saath-Saath Hain. Her opinion changed years later, she said, after the actress was diagnosed with cancer in 2018.
“I grew to like Salman later. I mean, it was a process. At the time of Hum Saath-Saath Hain, I don't think we were... let me put it mildly. We were not best of friends,” Sonali said in an interview with news agency ANI.
She added, "There are two sides to Salman. You can either love him or you will hate him. And at that point of time, I was not fond of him."
Sonali Bendre shared how Salman's behaviour on set would often annoy her during filming. The actress said, "When I was doing Hum Saath-Saath Hain. I mean, I have had my close-ups that we are doing when he's standing behind the camera and making faces at me."
"That was Salman. He's a prankster. He's like a child. But at that point of time, I was most offended that what is this behaviour? And, you know, like, I don't want... I'm not even going to talk to you, this behaviour...," she added.
Sonali Bendre's opinion of Salman Khan shifted dramatically after he showed her unwavering support during her health battle. In 2018, the actress was diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer and underwent treatment in New York.
During this time, Salman took the initiative to speak with her husband, Goldie Behl. The actor even flew to New York twice and was actively involved in ensuring she was receiving the best medical care.
Sonali said, "And, you know, suddenly, I mean, the same person who's making faces behind the camera is the same person who has made two trips, maybe to New York where I'm there to see if I'm okay in my illness and for the fact that he would call up and check with my husband, and say, are you sure you've got the right doctors? I think you should get in touch with these doctors also."
"He suddenly turned into something like an elder person in the fraternity who was saying, are you sure you've touched all the bases? You've checked all the boxes, you've ticked them all. It showed me how sensitive and caring he is. It really changed how I looked at him,” the actress added.
Sonali Bendre, who was declared cancer-free in 2021, has since used her public platform to spread awareness about cancer and resilience. She made her OTT debut on ZEE5 in the newsroom drama The Broken News, an Indian adaptation of the British series Press.
