# Sonali Bendre filmography
**Sonali Bendre's filmography** covers the screen work of the Indian actress [Sonali Bendre](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonali-bendre) (born 1975), who began as a model, was selected through the Stardust Talent Search, and made her Hindi film debut in *Aag* (1994). Her credits span Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, and [Kannada cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/kannada-cinema) from 1994 onward, followed by an extended run as a television presenter and judge and, from 2022, a second acting innings in streaming series.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007114) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Debut | *Aag* (1994), opposite [Govinda](https://www.edgepedia.org/govinda-actor), at age 19[3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/i-wasnt-considered-the-it-girl-back-then-others-were-sonali-bendre-reflects-on-breaking-the-bollywood-beauty-mold-of-the-90s/articleshow/121157037.cms) |
| Languages worked in | Hindi primarily, with Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, and Kannada films[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/) • [4](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/45/sonali-bendre/index.htm) |
| Notable Hindi roles | Seema in *Sarfarosh* (1999), Preeti Shukla in *Hum Saath Saath Hain* (1999), Dr. Priya in *Kal Ho Naa Ho* (2003)[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) |
| Telugu work | *Murari* (2001), *Indra* (2002), *Khadgam* (2002), *Manmadhudu* (2002), *Shankar Dada MBBS* (2004); *Murari* brought a Filmfare Best Actress (Telugu) nomination[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/) |
| Marathi cinema | *Anahat* (2003), as Queen Sheelavati[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre) |
| Television era | Judge on *India's Got Talent* and *India's Best Dramebaaz*; lead role of Shobha Sachdev in *Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye* (2014–2015)[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/) • [6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre) |
| Streaming comeback | Amina Qureshi in *The Broken News* (ZEE5, 2022–2024), then Mona Arora in *Raakh* (2026)[7](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20220620-sonali-bendre-back-in-the-news-1960459-2022-06-10) • [8](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260803-the-second-act-sonali-bendre-in-raakh-2955897-2026-07-25) |
## Debut and the 1990s
Bendre entered films with *Aag* (1994), and her early credits included *Naaraaz* (1994), *The Don*, *Gaddaar*, and *Takkar* (all 1995), with a credited dancer appearance in the song "Humma Humma" in [Mani Ratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/mani-ratnam)'s Tamil film *Bombay* (1995).[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) • [6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre) She has said she decided to leave the film industry if she could not deliver a good performance in the "Humma Humma" song, which became a hit.[9](https://www.thefinancialworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FW-27-April-Delhi-Edition.pdf) Through the rest of the decade she appeared steadily in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema): *Rakshak*, *English Babu Desi Mem*, and *Diljale* (1996), *Bhai*, *Qahar*, and *Tarazu* (1997), and in 1998 *Duplicate* (as Lily), *Zakhm*, *Major Saab*, and *[Angaaray](https://www.edgepedia.org/angaaray)*.[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre) • [10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sonali-bendre/credits/3000507372/)
Her 1999 releases are among her best-remembered: she played Seema in the [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan) police thriller *Sarfarosh* and Preeti Shukla in the family drama *Hum Saath Saath Hain*, alongside the Tamil film *Kadhalar Dhinam* (as Roja), *Kannodu Kanbathellam*, and *Dahek: A Burning Passion*.[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) • [10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sonali-bendre/credits/3000507372/) A scholarly analysis of *Hum Saath Saath Hain* notes that although her character is a doctor, she is shown against a backdrop of domesticity rather than a professional setting in all but a single shot of the film.[11](https://papers.iafor.org/conference-proceedings/EuroFilm/EuroFilm2014_proceedings.pdf)
## The 2000s: South Indian cinema and Marathi film
**The decade from 2000** began with several Hindi releases, including *[Chal Mere Bhai](https://www.edgepedia.org/chal-mere-bhai)*, *[Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai](https://www.edgepedia.org/hamara-dil-aapke-paas-hai)* (as Khushi Malhotra), *Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke*, *Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai* (as Saavni), *Dil Hi Dil Mein*, *Preethse* (Kannada), and *Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega* (2001).[10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sonali-bendre/credits/3000507372/) • [12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/sonali_bendre) Her Telugu career in this period included *Murari* (2001, as Vasundhara), *[Indra](https://www.edgepedia.org/indra-2002-film)* (2002), *Khadgam* (2002), *Manmadhudu* (2002, as Harika), *Palnati Brahmanayudu* (2003), and *Shankar Dada MBBS* (2004, as Sunitha/Chitti); *Murari* earned her a Filmfare Best Actress (Telugu) nomination.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/) • [12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/sonali_bendre)
In [Marathi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/marathi-cinema) she starred in *Anahat* (2003) as Queen Sheelavati, and made a song appearance in *Aga Bai Arechya* (2004).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007114) Her last Hindi film role before a long screen absence was a special appearance as Mumtaz in *Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara!* (2013).[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) • [13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/earlier-female-actors-only-added-glam-quotient-in-the-film-now-it-is-about-their-characters-sonali-bendre-4623517/)
## Television judging and acting roles
After stepping back from films, which she attributed in part to raising her son, Bendre moved to television, hosting and judging reality shows including *India's Got Talent* (seasons 1–3, 2009–2012), *India's Best Dramebaaz* (2013–2016), and *Dance India Dance Li'l Masters* (2010).[13](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/earlier-female-actors-only-added-glam-quotient-in-the-film-now-it-is-about-their-characters-sonali-bendre-4623517/) • [14](https://nerdspin.com/db/people/35754/sonali-bendre) Her first acting role on television was Shobha Sachdev in the serial *Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye* (2014–2015).[6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre)
## Streaming comeback (2022–present)
**The Broken News** marked Bendre's return to acting after a hiatus of nearly seven years. She played news channel editor Amina Qureshi in the ZEE5 series, an adaptation of the UK show *Press* (2018) transposed to a TV newsroom; she said the 2018–19 battle with metastatic cancer shaped what she wanted from a comeback role: a character with a strong voice, not morally ambiguous, and not "dark".[7](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20220620-sonali-bendre-back-in-the-news-1960459-2022-06-10) Her web credits remain limited to two series, *[The Broken News](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-broken-news)* and *Raakh*, an investigative thriller with [Ali Fazal](https://www.edgepedia.org/ali-fazal) in which she plays Mona Arora; she has described the post-*Broken News* period as one in which available work was not what she wanted.[8](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260803-the-second-act-sonali-bendre-in-raakh-2955897-2026-07-25) On film she appeared in a special role as a guest judge in [Remo D'Souza](https://www.edgepedia.org/remo-dsouza)'s *Be Happy* (2025).[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) • [3](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/i-wasnt-considered-the-it-girl-back-then-others-were-sonali-bendre-reflects-on-breaking-the-bollywood-beauty-mold-of-the-90s/articleshow/121157037.cms)
## Counting the credits
The size of Bendre's filmography depends on the database and on how guest appearances, song cameos, and self-appearances are counted. Archive figures range from 14 credited roles (13 films, 1 TV series) in the TMDB-derived count to 35 acting films at Cinegraph, 58 credits (46 films and 12 TV series, 1994–2026) at one archive, and 59 acting entries at another; she herself dates her career from 1994.[5](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography) • [6](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre) • [15](https://www.archytele.com/person/sonali-bendre/movies-and-tv-shows) • [14](https://nerdspin.com/db/people/35754/sonali-bendre) The busiest single year in the archive listing is 2000, with 7 credits.[15](https://www.archytele.com/person/sonali-bendre/movies-and-tv-shows)
## References
1. [Sonali Bendre – IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007114)
2. [Sonali Bendre: News, Movies, Photos, Videos & Updates – The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/sonali-bendre/)
3. ["I wasn't considered the IT girl back then; others were," Sonali Bendre reflects… – The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/i-wasnt-considered-the-it-girl-back-then-others-were-sonali-bendre-reflects-on-breaking-the-bollywood-beauty-mold-of-the-90s/articleshow/121157037.cms)
4. [Sonali Bendre - Indian Actress Profile, Pictures, Movies, Events | nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/celebrity/45/sonali-bendre/index.htm)
5. [Sonali Bendre Filmography in Order – Pop Culture Files (TMDB data)](https://popculturefiles.com/filmographies/sonali-bendre-filmography)
6. [Sonali Bendre – Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/sonali-bendre)
7. [Sonali Bendre: Back in the news – India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20220620-sonali-bendre-back-in-the-news-1960459-2022-06-10)
8. [The second act | Sonali Bendre in 'Raakh' – India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20260803-the-second-act-sonali-bendre-in-raakh-2955897-2026-07-25)
9. [The Financial World, Chandigarh edition, 27 April 2024](https://www.thefinancialworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/FW-27-April-Delhi-Edition.pdf)
10. [Sonali Bendre List of Movies and TV Shows – TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sonali-bendre/credits/3000507372/)
11. [The European Conference on Film and Documentary 2014 – Official Conference Proceedings](https://papers.iafor.org/conference-proceedings/EuroFilm/EuroFilm2014_proceedings.pdf)
12. [Sonali Bendre – Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/sonali_bendre)
13. [Earlier female actors only added glam quotient…: Sonali Bendre – The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/earlier-female-actors-only-added-glam-quotient-in-the-film-now-it-is-about-their-characters-sonali-bendre-4623517/)
14. [Sonali Bendre – Nerdspin](https://nerdspin.com/db/people/35754/sonali-bendre)
15. [Sonali Bendre Movies and TV Shows – Complete Filmography – Archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/sonali-bendre/movies-and-tv-shows)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Awards and screen reference › Individual filmographies › South Asian filmographies*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license