It has been six years since actor Sonali Bendre first broke the news of being diagnosed with cancer, and in all these years, the 49-year-old has candidly spoken about her illness and the road to recovery, inspiring many and instilling hope in fellow survivors. 

The actor, who is set to return to the silver screen in the highly anticipated ZEE5 series "The Broken News 2", premiering on May 3, recently opened up about her cancer diagnosis and journey in a podcast for Humans of Bombay, sharing insights on how she dealt with the life-changing event, reports Indian Express.

In the interview, Sonali revealed her initial reaction to her cancer diagnosis. "When I received my cancer diagnosis, my first thought was, 'Why me?' I'd wake up thinking it was all a nightmare; I couldn't believe that this could happen to me. That's when I started to change the way I thought. Instead of 'why me?' I started asking, 'Why not me?' I started to feel grateful this wasn't happening to my sister or my son. I realised I had the strength to deal with this, I had the resources to go to the best hospitals, and the support system to help me through this. Starting to ask 'why not me?' helped me start the healing process."

Diagnosed with stage four metastatic cancer in 2018, Sonali underwent treatment in a New York City hospital, ultimately triumphing over the disease in 2021. Since her recovery, she has been a vocal advocate for cancer awareness and support, including a heartfelt Instagram post commemorating Cancer Survivors Day in 2021.

With "The Broken News 2" on the horizon, Sonali, known for her work in films like "Sarfarish", "Hum Saath Saath Hain", and "Duplicate", amongst others, is not only continuing her successful acting career but also demonstrating resilience and strength in the face of adversity. Alongside Shriya Pilgaonkar and Jaideep Ahlawat, the show promises a thrilling exploration of the competitive news industry.