Sonali Bendre shared this picture. (Image courtesy: Instagram)
Highlights
- Sonali Bendre says 'finding one's new normal can be liberating'
- She was diagnosed with cancer in July 2018
- Sonali Bendre returned to India in December
Actress Sonali Bendre, who documented her battle with cancer on social media, shared a picture of herself from a photoshoot for Vogue magazine, in which she defined her "new normal" as "almost bald head, barely any make-up and a huge scar." The caption accompanying the picture read: "Of course, I had my reservations, and, if I dare say, insecurities... but before I knew it, I was standing in front of the camera, ready to uncover my new reality. The icing on the cake was the fact that I needed one-third of the time for hair and make-up. So, I closed my eyes and jumped into it, full throttle, and this is the result.... If there's a piece of advice I can give you all after this, it would be to 'Find your new normal'. It's very liberating."
Last year in July, Sonali Bendre announced that she was diagnosed with cancer, for which she was being treated in the US. Sonali Bendre returned to India in December 2018 and after landing, she had said that her 'treatment was over for now.'
Here's Sonali Bendre's post:
The idea was almost preposterous. An almost bald head, barely any make-up and a huge scar was not the norm for @vogueindia. But, I guess that's my new normal. Of course I had my reservations, and, if I dare say, insecurities - but a candid conversation with the lovely ladies @priya_tanna and @anaitashroffadajania cleared my doubts. And before I knew it, I was standing in front of the camera, ready to uncover my new reality. The icing on the cake was the fact that I needed one-third of the time for hair and make-up. So I closed my eyes and jumped into it, full throttle, and this is the result. Thank you, @meghamahindru for telling my story; and thank you @ridburman for understanding my story and saying it so beautifully through your lens. If there's a piece of advice I can give you all after this, it would be to 'Find your new normal'. It's very liberating. Click on the link in the bio to read the full article! #SwitchOnTheSunshine #OneDayAtATime
A post shared by Sonali Bendre (@iamsonalibendre) on
After the cancer diagnosis, Sonali Bendre regularly posted updates about her health and how she battled the disease "#OneDayAtATime" on social media. In the process of her treatment, Sonali went bald and this was the first of her many 'bald is beautiful' photos. She wrote on Instagram: "Nowadays I spend far less time getting ready because I don't have to fuss over my hair! #BaldIsBeautiful."
This is me. And in this moment, I am really happy. People give me strange looks when I say that now, but it's true and I'll tell you why. I am now paying attention to every moment, looking for every opportunity to find joy and #SwitchOnTheSunshine. Yes, there are moments of pain and low energy, but I am doing what I like, spending time with people I love, and feeling very loved and happy. I am extremely grateful to my friends, my pillars of strength, who at a moment's notice, arrived to be with me and help me through this. In between their busy schedules they find time to visit, call, message, FaceTime... basically never leaving a moment for me to feel alone. Thank you for showing me what true friendship is. #HappyFriendshipDay, ladies. Blessed to have you all in my life (including the ones not in the picture... You know who you are) @gayatrioberoi @suzkr P.S. Nowadays I spend far less time getting ready because I don't have to fuss over my hair! #BaldIsBeautiful #FindThePositive #OneDayAtATime Picture credit: @hrithikroshan
A post shared by Sonali Bendre (@iamsonalibendre) on
In a separate Instagram post, Sonali described her battle with cancer: "I have had good days and bad ones. There have been days when I've been so exhausted and in so much pain that even lifting a finger hurt... Sometimes it felt like it took everything I've had to push past it... a minute to minute battle with myself... it was one that was worth the fight."
"I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me." - Cheryl Strayed, Wild. Over the past couple of months, I have had good days and bad ones. There have been days when I've been so exhausted and in so much pain that even lifting a finger hurt. I feel like sometimes it's a cycle... one that starts off with physical pain and leads to mental and emotional pain. The bad days have been many... Post chemo, post-surgery and the like... where even just laughing hurts. Sometimes it felt like it took everything I've had to push past it... a minute to minute battle with myself. I got through it knowing that even though I was fighting a long drawn out, draining battle... it was one that was worth the fight. It's important to remember that we're allowed to have those bad days. Forcing yourself to be happy and cheerful all the time serves no purpose. Who are we being fake and putting on an act for? I allowed myself to cry, to feel the pain, to indulge in self-pity... for a short while. Only you know what you're going through and it is fine to accept it. Emotions aren't wrong. Feeling negative emotions isn't wrong. But after a point, identify it, recognize it and refuse to let it control your life. It takes an immense amount of self-care to get out of that zone. Sleep always helps, or having my favourite smoothie after chemo, or just talking to my son. For now, as my treatment continues... my visual focus remains to just get better and get back home. It's yet another test... Student all my life... Learning all my life... #OneDayAtATime : @srishtibehlarya
A post shared by Sonali Bendre (@iamsonalibendre) on
Sonali Bendre has featured in films such as Sarfarosh, Major Saab and Hum Saath-Saath Hain to name a few. She's married to producer Goldie Bahl and they are parents to 13-year-old Ranveer.