New Delhi [India], June 8: Actor and author Sonali Bendre, known for her grace on screen and strength off it, is now making waves in the literary world. Bendre opened up about her latest release, A Book of Books — a tribute to the joy of reading and her personal journey with literature.
“This isn’t a memoir or a novel,” Bendre explained. “It’s a book of recommendations — stories that inspired me, comforted me, or simply stayed with me.” The book is an extension of Sonali’s Book Club, a thriving online reading community she launched eight years ago, now one of South Asia’s largest digital book clubs.
Bendre began the club to rekindle her reading habit, which had taken a backseat to motherhood and her acting career. “Books got lost in the chaos of life. The club brought them back to me,” she shared.
One of the standout messages in A Book of Books is the freedom it grants readers to abandon books that don’t resonate. “There’s no shame in not finishing a book,” she said. “You don’t have to read something just because it won awards. If it doesn’t connect with you, move on.”
Bendre recalled how, during her cancer treatment, she had to put aside A Little Life — a critically acclaimed yet emotionally heavy novel. “It was just too sad for me at that time. My book club encouraged me to stop — and I’m glad I listened.”
Her reading tastes have evolved. “I used to devour dark, intense literature. On film sets, Sooraj ji would joke about my choices,” she said with a laugh. “But post-cancer, I craved stories that healed rather than hurt.”
That change in perspective shaped her book, which encourages playful engagement with literature. From creating reading bucket lists to finding your personal ‘reading hour’ — hers is early morning — Bendre offers both practical advice and emotional insight.
Even during her early acting days, Bendre was always seen with a book in hand. “There were no vanity vans then, just a chair and a fan. While others gossiped, I’d read. People called me boring. Maybe I was — but I was happy.”
She embraces that image today. “I’ve never been controversial. Social media gave me a direct way to connect with people — no filters, no headlines.”
A Book of Books is for everyone — from lifelong readers to hesitant young ones. “On page 64, I write about children who struggle to read. Parents shouldn’t force it. Let the love for books bloom naturally.”
The book includes unique ideas, such as exploring genres through Snow White’s seven dwarves or describing reading as “the cheapest way to travel.” “We couldn’t afford to travel when I was young. But books took me to the past, the future — even other planets.”
Though she insists, “I’m not an amazing writer,” her heartfelt reflections and accessible tone speak otherwise. The book was born when HarperCollins suggested she write about the books she loves — and it immediately felt right.
Professionally, Bendre made her OTT debut in The Broken News on ZEE5, playing a journalist. From her Bollywood debut in Aag (1994) to acclaimed roles in Diljale, Sarfarosh, Zakhm, and Hum Saath Saath Hain, she’s had a varied career.
Diagnosed with cancer in 2018, Bendre’s recovery journey transformed her connection with books. “I may not finish every book,” she said with a smile. “But each one teaches me something — even the ones I leave halfway.”
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