Sonali Bendre: 'Icy could sense my immense pain, she slept on my legs every night during cancer recovery' - EXCLUSIVE

Sonali Bendre with her pet Icy

For actress and podcaster Sonali Bendre, happiness often comes with paws. The actor, author, and now podcast host says her golden retriever, Icy Behl, has been one of the most grounding influences in her life especially during her recovery from metastatic cancer.

In July 2018, Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic cancer and flew to New York for treatment.

In an exclusive conversation with Moneycontrol, Sonali, who has returned with The Happy Pawdcast season 2, said that during those uncertain months and the slow, painful process of healing, her pet Icy’s quiet companionship became her biggest comfort.

“When I came back, her emotional reaction to me and then after that, if I would step out, the anxiety she was going through as if she was asking, ‘Is she going to be gone again?’ She calmed down once she realised I come back. I saw that. I had aches and pains all over my legs, my joints were paining constantly, and no amount of therapy or massages were helping me," she said talking about her pet Icy's help during those difficult times.

Sonali then recalled how Icy responded in those days and helped her heal.

“Icy never slept on my bed, but that was the time she would come and sleep on my legs. It was just the right weight, and I would fall asleep. Later, I realised that as I healed, there came a point where she went back to where she used to sleep. Now, when I look back, it felt like she knew where my pain was — and she was on it," she added.

Sonali also revealed the reason why she initially started with The Happy Pawdcast. Like many parents of teenagers, her son Ranveer was moving out for future studies and she had time on her hand and she realised it was the perfect time to launch this pawdcast as there were many things which weren't known to many pet parents.

The pawdcast, she explained, started with an almost accidental idea. “I felt victim, too, there were so many things coming up on social media. Icy ended up getting some rashes because I tried something I saw online. The vet doctor told me, ‘Who asked you to try it?’ And I said, ‘But it was on social media!’ He said, ‘You have no idea how scared I am of my pet parents doing this!’ And I told him, ‘You should have a podcast!’ He said, ‘Even if I do, who’s going to listen?’ So I told him, ‘You know me — I’ll talk about it. I’m not a vet, but I’ll explore.’ That’s how The Happy Pawdcast was born," she told us.

And then the reason to be back with Season 2 was obvious, “I think that’s given happiness, so that’s why The Happy Pawdcast. There’s a pause, so it’s very clear what the happiness I’m talking about is. Season 1 did so well, and we got so much feedback. Then we had to deep dive into more of those topics, take on others that people were asking us about. This time, I also have some of my friends coming in who are experienced and passionate about pets. They’re coming with the experts. And, of course, their pets are there too. So we have a full house."

She laughed, remembering the first day of shoot: “I said, let’s do a test shoot. I’ve never done a podcast before. I felt like it should be on a couch, not a table, more like a conversation. And I kept feeling like Icy should be with me. When we were shooting, Icy came and sat next to me on the couch. I just said, ‘Hi, I’m Sonali Bendre, and this is my co-host.’ And that became our signature, she was my co-host. Once I had her next to me, it felt right.”

Working with pets, she said, adds spontaneity and joy. “Animals are more understanding than we are. They are amazing. Even in that small space, they found their corner, there was no chaos because of them. In fact, it was the other way around there was only joy because of them. They made everyone laugh, they made it more fun.”

The second season of The Happy Pawdcast features guests like Remo D’Souza, Diana Penty, and Amala Akkineni, among others, all of whom are passionate pet parents.

“I think all of them had different points. I’m telling you, Remo has the largest heart. When you see him on those reality shows or with those kids, then he adopts them — he’s all heart. And look at Diana (Penty), the amount of animals she adopts, and she doesn’t even talk about it. There’s a different side of her that comes out in this show. She has some really funny stories," she added.

This season also dives into deeper issues like animal shelters, adoption systems, and pet health awareness.

“Are the shelters doing what they have to do? Are they doing it right? Are they paying attention to money and using it correctly? Are the animals happy? So, we have experts who talk about the legalities of pet care, and how animals are used in medicine now. You have to understand, you can’t do it alone. You need staff, you need training. And then there are guests who come in with their experts, one even has seventy cats," she added.

Talking about the post-pandemic surge in pet adoption, she said animals have become emotional anchors in human lives.

“They are family. Earlier, we had community animals, village animals who moved from one house to another. But now, as we move into nuclear families and apartments, we miss that connection. That companionship and loneliness, pets help you deal with that. They help you with mental issues. They’re like therapy," said Sonali.

She went on, “If you have an only child, getting a pet builds the child’s immunity and also compassion. Words like empathy or responsibility only make sense when they’re lived. When your pet chews up your child’s favourite toy, and you still forgive them — that’s empathy in action. It teaches compassion that no book can.”

And yet, she is quick to add that not everyone has to be an animal lover. “It’s absolutely okay not to be one,” she said. “Everybody’s built differently, and that’s fine. My mother, for instance — she doesn’t want them coming too close. She’ll say, ‘Stay a little far,’ and they do. You can still be kind without being a cuddler. Tomorrow, if you see an animal in trouble and you call a doctor, that’s good enough.”

Talking about Sonali, over her three-decade long career, Sonali Bendre has evolved constantly. From her debut in Aag (1994) to hits like Sarfarosh (1999) and Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), she became a household name.

Later, she transitioned to television, judging talent and reality shows and even hosting her own book club. Today, as she continues to explore digital storytelling, her journey.