Marriage for me is a marriage of equals and mutual respect: Sonali Bendre

Bollywood actress Sonali Bendre has opened up about the dramatic shift in relationships and society brought on by the internet. Reflecting on the digital era, she noted how generational changes are now happening at a much faster pace, reshaping the way people connect and interact. In an interview with IANS, Sonali Bendre spoke about the rapid transformation she has witnessed when asked how the world and relationships have changed with the arrival of the internet. The “Hum Saath — Saath Hain” actress noted that generational shifts, which once took decades, now happen within a few years, reshaping the way people live, connect, and communicate.

Sonali shared, “The change is huge! In our time, a generation would change every 20–25 years. Now it feels like it changes every three years. Everything has turned upside down. The internet has transformed how people live and connect.”

Sonali Bendre, whose marriage has stood the test of time, shared her views on the younger generation’s fast-paced approach to love, marriage, and divorce. She said giving advice to today’s youth is often pointless, as they feel they already know everything. “I don’t think anyone can really advise youngsters, and those who try usually fail (smiles). They believe they know everything. They have Google, ChatGPT—every answer is at their fingertips.”

She added, “Marriage, according to me, is something that requires daily effort. It should never be taken for granted. Both partners need to work on it. Mutual respect is essential. For me, marriage is a partnership of equality—not that we have to be equal in everything, but our strengths should complement each other. I have my strong points, and my husband has his. We divide responsibilities accordingly.” Work-wise, the 50-year-old actress is currently seen hosting the reality show “Pati, Patni Aur Panga” alongside comedian Munawar Faruqui.

Sonali has addressed a common question surrounding reality shows — are they scripted or real?

Speaking about her latest show, “Pati Patni Aur Panga,” the actress shared her thoughts on the authenticity of the show and what viewers can truly expect from the on-screen drama. Sonali told IANS, “Our show is called Pati Patni Aur Panga with the tagline Reality Check of Couples. Now, when couples are together, disagreements and moments of fun naturally happen. You can’t really script those. We just create situations and put the couples in them. What happens next is completely unscripted. Everything you see on camera is real.”

Speaking about hosting a reality show for the first time, the actress shared, “I am hosting for the first time, so honestly, I am quite scared—actually, more than a little. There are so many other artists with me, and they are all superstars in their fields. Then there’s Munawar with me, and he is so spontaneous. He only likes doing unscripted interactions, and I’m used to performing with dialogues.

Indo-Asian News Service