Sonali Bendre on Cancer Journey: “How Can We Fight With Ourselves?”

New Delhi, October 12, 2026 Actor Sonali Bendre has opened up about her cancer journey, sharing how the experience changed her perspective on her body and taught her the importance of self-compassion. Speaking at the grand premiere of Kon Honar Crorepati, the Marathi version of Kaun Banega Crorepati, hosted by Madhuri Dixit, Sonali explained why she chose to understand her body rather than view cancer as a battle she needed to win. During their conversation, Madhuri Dixit praised Sonali’s courage and the strength she displayed throughout her journey. Speaking in Marathi, Madhuri said, “You’ve had so many different experiences. And we also got to see a new side of you when you overcame cancer. We got to see you emerge as a strong Sonali.” Responding to her, Sonali reflected on the way people commonly describe the experience of recovering from cancer and explained why she approached it differently. Sonali said, “I mean, you know, actually, we always say that someone has overcome cancer.” Elaborating on her outlook, she added, “But, all jokes apart, we say all these things while laughing and joking. But at that time, the actual intention was not to overcome it. It was to understand why this was happening and what I could learn from it. And trust me, I actually learnt a lot from it. And that is how I looked at it.” Explaining why she does not view cancer as a fight against the body, Sonali said, “Because I feel that when we say we have overcome something, it somehow feels like a fight. There is a sense of negativity somewhere. And, after all, it is our own body, isn’t it? The cancer cells are also our own cells. So, how can we fight with ourselves?” She also spoke about choosing compassion despite the pain, saying, “So how do I love my body the way it is? And I thought that maybe I should treat it with love. It’s very difficult to love something that was giving you so much pain. But I think that’s probably what worked for me. And that’s where it went.” Through her conversation with Madhuri Dixit, Sonali offered a personal account of how she navigated one of the most difficult phases of her life. Rather than defining her experience through victory or defeat, she emphasised understanding her body, learning from the situation and responding to herself with love and compassion.