Sonali Bendre on Monday arrived in Mumbai from New York, where she has been undergoing treatment for a ‘high grade cancer’. Since the time she first shared the news of her illness in July this year, she has been keeping her fans updated via social media posts.
Video clips show her exiting the airport, accompanied by her husband Goldie Behl and others. She sports her bald look and can be seen in a heavy overcoat. Speaking to media, Goldie said that Sonali is fine now and that she is recovering well.
Nav Bharat Times quoted him as saying: “Sabhi ka bahot bahot shukriya. Kareeb 6 mahine ho chuke hain, main sabko batana chahta hoon ki ab Sonali theekh hain, woh achchi tarah recover kar rahin hain. Main unke sabhi fans aur chaahne walon ka shukriya karta hoon, jinn ke pyar, prayer aur support se woh swasthh ho gayin hain (Thank you. After six months, I would like to mention that Sonali is doing fine and is recovering well. I want to thank all her fans and well wishers, whose love, prayers and support have been critical to her path to good health.)
Earlier in the day, Sonali had announced on Instagram that she is returning to Mumbai for a short break. However, she added that the fight cancer was from over.
She wrote: “They say Distance makes the heart grow fonder. It sure does. But let’s never underestimate what distance teaches you. Being away from home in the city of New York, I realized I was walking amongst so many stories. Each trying to write their own chapter in different ways. Each struggling to do it but never giving up. Each taking it #OneDayAtATime.”
Sonali has written about her struggles in previous posts detailing how painful the experience has been. There had been times when she didn’t have the strength to lift a finger. At other times, she had also written about not wanting to give up. Sharing a photo of herself without any hair and applying koel (kajal), she had written: “There have been days when I’ve been so exhausted and in so much pain that even lifting a finger hurt.”
She has been visited by many friends and well wishers during her time in New York. Hrithik Roshan’s ex-wife Sussanne Khan and former actor Gayatri Joshi have visited her, and together they had posed pictures with Sonali. Priyanka Chopra, who maintains a home in New York, too has paid her a visit. In fact, Sonali and Neetu Singh were part of Priyanka’s bridal shower in NYC in September this year. Anupam Kher too has been a regular visitor.
