Sonali Kulkarni has candidly opened up about a moment of professional jealousy she experienced early in her career when Tabu won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Maachis. What began as envy eventually turned into admiration after Sonali watched Tabu’s work and had an unexpected personal interaction with the acclaimed actor.
In an exclusive conversation with NDTV, Sonali, who is gearing up for the release of her Telugu film The Paradise, admitted that her feelings at the time were driven by jealousy.
“My emotions came purely out of jealousy,” she said.
Sonali Kulkarni Wanted a National Award
Sonali explained that winning a National Award was an important ambition for her when she was starting her career.
“I really wanted a National Award because that is where you embark on your success. I have the highest respect for the National Award. And back then, when I started my career, I really wanted one,” she said.
Tabu won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Gulzar’s 1996 film Maachis at the 44th National Film Awards in 1997. Sonali’s admission, however, was less about resentment toward Tabu and more about her own ambitions as a young actor.
She eventually received a Special Mention/Special Jury recognition at the 49th National Film Awards in 2002 for her performance in the Marathi short film Chaitra.
Even with that recognition, Sonali says she continues to have larger ambitions.
“I have a long way to go. I definitely want to make our country feel proud of me,” she said.
How Watching Tabu’s Films Changed Sonali’s Perspective
Rather than allowing her initial jealousy to linger, Sonali turned her attention to Tabu’s performances.
She recalled watching Tabu’s films and eventually getting an opportunity to meet her while Sonali was working on Mission Kashmir.
Sonali played Neelima Khan in the 2000 film, the wife of Sanjay Dutt’s Inayat Khan and the foster mother of Hrithik Roshan’s Altaaf Khan.
Around the time of the shoot, Sonali believes Tabu was working on Chandni Bar. She remembers waiting for an opportunity to meet her at Film City in Mumbai.
Sonali Kulkarni’s Memorable Meeting With Tabu
Sonali recalled standing near a staircase at Film City after her hairdresser told her that Tabu’s shot was about to finish and that her makeup room was nearby.
She remembers seeing Tabu in a Lucknow-style kurta and being struck by her appearance.
“I remember her wearing a beautiful Lucknow kurta. She was looking like a swan,” Sonali recalled.
She then decided to approach Tabu and introduce herself.
“I hurriedly wanted to encash that fan moment. So I went and told her that my name is this and I really like you,” she said.
What stayed with Sonali was not just Tabu’s response but the calm way she handled the interaction.
According to Sonali, Tabu paused, accepted the compliment and waited for her to finish before simply saying, “Thank you so much.”
The two then exchanged a few questions, an interaction Sonali says helped her see the actor differently.
“She just asked a couple of questions and, you know, it relaxed me as an actor, as a person — that stars too are human beings,” she said.
Sonali Also Recalls a Sweet Moment With Aishwarya Rai
Sonali shared another memory involving Aishwarya Rai that similarly reminded her of the human side of celebrities.
She recalled complimenting Aishwarya’s outfit on Diwali and telling her that she looked beautiful.
Aishwarya’s response surprised her.
“She said, ‘You liked it? Oh, I’m so happy because I have designed it,’” Sonali recalled.
For Sonali, moments like these have made her interactions with fellow actors particularly meaningful.
“And you know, it’s so human. Yeah. I’m very blessed because I have got to experience many such enriched moments,” she said.
Sonali Kulkarni’s Upcoming Film The Paradise
Sonali Kulkarni is now preparing for the release of The Paradise, her upcoming Telugu film starring Nani.
The project adds another chapter to an acting career that has crossed languages and formats. The Paradise is scheduled to release in theatres on September 24.
