Sonali Bendre

Sonali Bendre (born 1 January 1975) is an Indian actress and model. She has mostly starred in Bollywood films. She is best known for her commendable performance In Telugu films like Murari, Khadgam, Indra, Manmadhudu and Shankar Dada M.B.B.S..
She has also acted in various Marathi, Tamil and Kannada films. She was also one of the four judges in the fourth season of Indian Idol and India's Got Talent. She has been the brand ambassador for Pril soap, Surya bulbs and tubes, Omega watches, Dr. Morepen, Dabur, Vi-John Group etc in Maharashtra and Kalyana Kanchi in Andhra Pradesh.

Personal life and education

Sonali was born in Kayatha Bendre family from Mumbai. She studied in Bangalore and Mumbai in Kendriya Vidyalaya Malleswaram and Holy Cross Convent High School, Thane. She married film actor/director Goldie Behl on 12 November 2002. On 11 August 2005, she gave birth to a son, Ranveer, at the Breach Candy Hospital.

Career

Bendre started out as a model before being selected for the "Star Dust Talent Search". She was invited to Mumbai and received training from a variety of top actors and performers of the Indian film industry. Her first role was in Aag (1994) opposite Govinda.
Though, she initially struggled to be a successful actress, she was eventually given critical acclaim for her performances in Diljale in 1996, followed by Bhai (1997), Sarfarosh, Zakhm, Duplicate, Kadhalar Dhinam (Tamil film), Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United (1999), Tera Mera Saath Rahey and Anahat (2003) among others. She is also known for being one of the few actresses who acted opposite all top four Khans (Shahrukh, Aamir, Salman and Saif). She has also starred opposite Bollywood actors such as Akshay Kumar, Sunil Shetty, Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt and Anil Kapoor.
In addition to her acting performances, she was also recognized as a graceful dancer through films such as Gaddar, Sapoot, Bombay, Lajja and Major Saab. In 2003, she made a special appearance as Shahrukh Khan's doctor in Kal Ho Naa Ho (produced by Karan Johar), which also starred Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta. Bendre also starred in the theatre in a play called, Aap Ki Soniya. She had also welcomed Michael Jackson on his arrival In India in traditional Maharashtrian nauvari sari on November 1, 1996.

Television career

She also hosted a dance show on television named Kya Masti Kya Dhoom....! and was one of the judges of Indian Idol on Sony Entertainment television. She also hosted the 50th Filmfare Awards with Saif Ali Khan and Farida Jalal on 26 February 2005. She was a judge on Indian Idol 4 and India's Got Talent.

Awards

Filmfare Awards

• 1995, Filmfare Lux New Face Award - Aag

Star Screen Awards

• 1994, Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer - Female
• 2001, Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress - Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
• 2004, Star Screen Award, Best Actress Marathi - Anahat

Golden Petal Awards

• 2011, Most Chahiti Personality - India's Got Talent

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Other notes
1994	Aag	Parul
1994	Naaraaz
1995	The Don	Anita Malik
1995	Gaddaar	Priya
1995	Takkar	Mohini
1995	Bombay		Tamil film Special appearance(Item number)
1996	Rakshak	Dr. Pooja Malhotra
1996	English Babu Desi Mem	Bijuriya
1996	Diljale	Radhika
1996	Apne Dam Par		Special appearance
1996	Sapoot	Kajal
1997	Bhai	Meenu
1997	Tarazu	Pooja
1997	Qahar	Neelam
1998	Keemat - They Are Back	Mansi
1998	Duplicate	Lily
1998	Humse Badhkar Kaun	Anu
1998	Major Saab	Nisha
1998	Angaaray	Roma
1998	Zakhm	Soniya
1999	Love You Hamesha	Shivani	Released in 2001
1999	Kadhalar Dhinam	Roja	Tamil film Dubbed into Telugu into Premikula Roju Remade into Hindi as Dil Hi Dil Mein
1999	Kannodu Kanbathellam	Kalyani	Tamil film
1999	Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United	Preeti
1999	Dahek	Sabina Bahkshi/Neelima Bahkshi
1999	Sarfarosh	Seema
2000	Dil Hi Dil Mein	Roja
2000	Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai	Khushi
2000	Dhai Akshar Prem Ke	Nisha	Special appearance
2000	Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hain	Saawni
2000	Preethse	Kiran	Kannada film
2001	Murari	Vasundhara	Telugu film Dubbed into Tamil
2001	Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega	Sapna Chopra
2001	Lajja	Dancer	Item number in the song "Mujhe Saajan Ke Ghar Jaana Hai"
2001	Tera Mera Saath Rahen	Madhuri
2002	Indra	Pallavi	Telugu film Dubbed into Hindi and Tamil
2002	Khadgam	Swathi	Telugu film
2002	Manmadhudu	Harika	Telugu film
2003	Anahat	Queen Sheelavati	Marathi film
2003	Pyaar Kiya Nahin Jaatha
2003	Palanati Brahmanaidu	Siva Nageshwari	Telugu film
2003	Chori Chori	Pooja
2003	Kal Ho Naa Ho	Priya	Guest role
2004	Shankar Dada MBBS	Dr. Sunita	Telugu film
2004	Aga Bai Arrecha!		Marathi film Item number