Actor Sonali Bendre claims she lost films due to 'underworld pressure'
- By Web Desk -
- Jun 28, 2022
Former Bollywood actor Sonali Bendre made some shocking revelations about the film industry; claims her career was affected due to ‘underworld pressure’.
One of the leading faces of Indian films in the 90s, Sonali Bendre, who made her comeback with the web series ‘The Broken News’, appeared on a podcast when she revealed the reason behind going off Bollywood for more than a decade.
Bendre revealed that she lost many films due to the pressure from the underworld mafia, as the major financing was done by them for the titles at the time. “Many clean sources were financing films. But, there was not a proper, formal industry status,” she told the host. “So, there was a lot of unregulated finance coming in as well, and banks will not give it to you. So, that limit was there.”
The ‘Sarfarosh’ actor revealed that she was helped by then-boyfriend Goldie Behl (whom she is married to now) in that phase, as he was more aware of the dynamics. “His [Behl] mother would know it, his father was in the movies too. So, you just knew. So, that just fell into place,” she added.
Additionally, Bendre stated: “Where I was concerned, the moment I would know it’s a bit dodgy, at that time, the excuse I would give is, ‘Oh I am shooting for a movie in the south, so I can’t do it.”
Speaking further about the underworld pressure, the actor disclosed, “There were times when I was supposed to do a role and it went to someone else because someone called them up. But then the director or the co-actor will call you and say ‘I have that pressure and I can’t do anything about it’.”
On the work front, Bendre returned to the entertainment industry last year as a judge for a talent show, after battling cancer. The actor made her OTT debut earlier this month with ZEE5’s ‘The Broken News’ alongside Jaideep Ahlawat.