“Fake news”: Sonali Bendre disputes previous rumors that she was favored by Shoaib Akhtar

The widely circulated rumor that Indian actor Sonali Bendre would be abducted if she didn’t marry former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar has come back to haunt us. When Bendre was told that Akhtar had a “crush” on her during an appearance on a podcast to promote her most recent show, she said, “I don’t know how true this is.” Even then, fake news was a thing!

“I’ll kidnap her if she [Bendre] doesn’t marry me,” Akhtar allegedly said in 2019. The cricket player, however, immediately refuted the claim on his YouTube channel, stating that it was wholly untrue. The Indian Express claims that Bendre herself seemed surprised by Akhtar’s purported feelings and made fun of the rumour. In the podcast, she joked, “Thank God for that.” “Perhaps it launched my career!”

In response to allegations that he had an affair with Bendre, intended to marry her, and had a wallet with a picture of her, Akhtar posted a response on his YouTube account in 2019. Though he did acknowledge that the actress was a “beautiful” woman, Akhtar vehemently refuted the allegations, insisting he had never met her and was not a fan as well.

In his video, he had said, “I never met Sonali Bendre.” “I never was a fan of hers, too. She is a stunning woman, and I have seen her in movies, but I haven’t been a fan.”

Bendre’s bravery was further praised by Akhtar upon the announcement of her cancer diagnosis in 2018. He remarked, “I became a fan of her when she bravely battled back against her illness and set an example for other women.” Her bravery won me over, and I started to admire her. However, I had nothing to do with her, bhai mere. All of these are falsehoods.

Bendre debuted as an actor in Aag (1994). She has since acted in other Bollywood films, including Sarfarosh (1999), Diljale (1996), Major Saab (1998), Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), and Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000).