Sonali Bendre has been a part of several hit films in her three-decade-long career. Call her a stalwart and the actor giggles. “Nobody has ever called me that,” she says. Bendre has been away from films for almost four years now, after she was diagnosed with metastatic cancer in 2018 and underwent treatment in New York (USA). At that time, she was judging a kids’ reality show. Interestingly, her on-screen comeback after four years is also through a dance reality show featuring kids.

“Last time, I was doing one such show when I left halfway for treatment. So, the fact that woh period pass ho gaya, usse aap recover hoke waapas aake uss chair pe waapas baithe ho, it’s a moment. When I left the last time, there was no guarantee that I’d ever return to that seat again. The fact that I am able to come back to it is a very emotional feeling for me,” she says.

Bendre adds, “Every day, when I sit on that (the judge’s) chair, I go back to those days. I don’t think I’m over it (the shock of being in a life-and-death situation). That feeling of ‘I’m here, I’m back, life is okay’ keeps coming back.”

Besides being physically and emotionally strenuous, the last four years have also been a phase of learning and introspection for the Sarfarosh (1999) actor . Her two takeaways from that period are “being in the moment and learning to say no”. She adds, “[I’ve also learnt the importance of] not worrying about the future, as plans have no guarantee. Also, understanding what you can do and what you can’t.”

The 47-year-old wants to “keep learning” in life and be a part of “evolution and self-growth”. “I hope whenever my time comes, I go on my feet and not lying down ill. I hope I’m working [even then],” she concludes.