09-06-2025
Sonali Bendre finally breaks silence over reports of dating Raj Thackeray 20 years ago, says, 'Relationship is...'
Sonali Bendre finally breaks silence over reports of dating Raj Thackeray 20 years ago, says, 'Relationship is...'
Sonali Bendre, who captivated audiences with her admirable beauty and acting chops in 90s, has finally broke silence on her link-up rumours with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray. The online chatter started when an old video of the two went viral, which led to the speculations that Raj Thackeray was allegedly having crush on her 20 years ago. Reacting to the buzz in an interview with ANI, Bendre said, 'Did he… I doubt it,' Firmly denying the rumours she clarified, 'I was talking to my sister who was right there.'
Addressing the gossip, The Hum Hum Saath Saath Hai actress added, 'I don't know. I mean, a lot of people… I think it's just not in very good taste when people talk about it like that. First of all, I mean, there are families involved and people involved in all of that.'
Explaining the decade-old association she had with his family, Sonali said, 'Other than the fact that my brother-in-law and my sister… my brother-in-law who's a cricketer and hence used to play cricket with Raj's cousin… Sister's husband and they always played together. Secondly, my sister's mother-in-law was the head of the department that taught us English literature in the (Ramnarain) Ruia College, which I'm from.'
She further revealed a personal family bond, stating, '…so they all knew each other. For me, the connection was that Sharmila, Raj's wife, her mother, and my Maasi were best friends. Her mother has held me for 10 days because you know how, oh, her, my mother's younger sister, Maasi. So when she delivered Raj, they all came laughing. Oh, her elder sister's baby. Let's go and see the baby. They've come to the hospital and seen me. So literally, that's the kind of connection.'
Sonali further added, 'I've always travelled around… It's not something that I know them beyond a point because I came into Maharashtra only once in two years during summer holidays or something like that.'
When asked whether she's interested in joining politics, the Sarfarosh actress firmly denied and said, 'No, not really. I think you need a lot of very thick skin for it, which I don't have… and I'm not politically correct… unfortunately.'
Meanwhile, Sonali Bendre has been a part of several hit movies including, Major Saab, Sarfarosh, Duplicate, Zakhm, Chori Chori, and Hum Saath Saath Hain, among others. She was last seen in the second season of the ZEE5 series The Broken News.
