Sonali Bendre Reacts To Fan's Death After Failing To Meet Her: 'How Can People Place Humans On Such Pedestal'

In a recent interview, Sonali Bnedre was asked about a fan’s death in Bhopal after he failed to see her. The actress was shocked to hear about the incident. 

Sonali Bendre is one of the most popular actors of the 1990s and early 2000s. The actress, known for her stunning looks and grace, had a huge fan following. In a recent interview, the actress was asked about a fan’s death in Bhopal who failed to see her. The actress was shocked to hear about the incident. 

Sonali Bendre on fan's death news

In a candid discussion on Mid-Day's The Bombay Film Podcast, the actor was asked if she is aware of an incident from the 1990s when a fan in Bhopal tragically lost his life jumping into a lake after failing to catch a glimpse of the actress during her visit to the city. Sonali, visibly shocked, responded, “Yeh sach hai? [Is it true?]. How can someone…,” expressing disbelief at the extreme measures taken by fans. 

Sonali on fan mails

The 1990s were marked by intense Bollywood fan culture, with Sonali recalling other bizarre instances. "There’d be fan mails. We wondered to test, if it was in actual blood. I’d be shattered, if it was. Best to appreciate, and leave it at that. How can people place humans on such a pedestal, that they’ll fall from, anyway?" she shared. 

Reflecting on fan culture, Sonali expressed her inability to comprehend such obsession, and said, "I couldn't understand that kind of obsession for somebody." She pointed out that limited access to stars in the '90s often led fans to extreme actions in their quest for attention from their favorite actors. "I just feel that how can you put any human being on that kind of a pedestal? Because it's a human being and he or she is going to fall off that pedestal because they're human beings. So I could never put somebody up on a pedestal to that extent. So I never understood this kind of thing." 

How she managed to stay grounded

When asked how she managed to stay grounded amidst the glamour, she credited her upbringing. "When I went back home, my parents saw to it that they grounded me. I think the kind of upbringing I'd had which was when you move from city to city, you're constantly breaking into new groups of people in school. You're used to being alone. You're used to being by yourself. You're used to being in a room where people are friends, but you don't know them. That kind of peer pressure and wanting to be accepted can make you do a lot of things. But because of that kind of an upbringing, I was okay to take my time, open my book, read, and get to know people slowly. And I think that kind of kept me grounded. I was not opening up to people because I just needed to be with people,” she said.