Sonal Sehgal has recently been in the news after her international film, The Great Departure, opened to glowing reviews from audiences and critics alike. This marks her second foray into global cinema after Manny (2020), helmed by Latvian director Dace Puce. Interestingly, Sonal has also taken on the role of executive producer for The Great Departure, which features Australian actor Xavier Samuel in the lead. Sonal started her career in television with shows like Saara Akaash, Hotel Kingston etc. and then forayed into cinema. 2025 also marks 20 years of Sonal Sehgal as a film actor; her debut vehicle, U Bomsi & Me, released on October 21, 2005. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Sonal reflected on her journey.
EXCLUSIVE: Sonal Sehgal looks back at her journey; opens up on working with Himesh Reshammiya in Radio, Damadamm: “He was very hardworking, committed and on time…both films had great scripts”
Sonal Sehgal said, “Everything is a learning experience, whether a film turns out to be good or bad, hit or flop. In your journey as an artist, you learn something from everything and everyone that you work with. I am proud of everything that I have done until now because it’s the cumulative effect of the TV shows and films I did that has brought me here today. Manny might have been my first production, but because I have been a part of so many big productions, I knew what it takes; I was aware of how many auxiliary wheels it takes to get this train moving. So, the on-set experience of how it works and the patience that the producer needs to have is something I learned.”
Sonal continued, “For instance, we shot my TV show Sara Akaash, at the Poona Air Force Base. It was a huge production. Hotel Kingston was not filmed on a set. We shot it in a resort at Madh Island. Also, I worked for so many long hours (laughs). I used to work 14 hours a day for 27 days a month. Looking back, I am exhausted just thinking about it! If I had to do it today, I feel that my body has that muscle memory. I’ll be like, ‘I have done this before; we can do it’. I am not going to collapse.”
Interestingly, Sonal Sehgal was seen in two Himesh Reshammiya-starrers – Radio (2009) and Damadamm (2011). When asked how it was working with the actor-composer, she replied, “Himesh is a very committed artist and a very, very hardworking guy. Both Radio and Damadamm had great scripts. Hence, it was a very comfortable experience shooting them. It was nothing like what I had heard of; I was told, ‘Oh, he’s a big star’. Yet, he was on time and committed. It was a fine experience.”
Is she still in touch with Himesh Reshammiya or anybody else from the industry? Sonal answered, “No. At times, I bump into people here and there. Also, a lot of them end up being Instagram friends (laughs). One thing Instagram does is that you watch what everyone is doing and you feel that you are updated. Then you realize that it’s been two years since you last spoke to that person!”
When asked about her next, she revealed, “It’s already in the pipeline. Hopefully, early next year, we will roll.”
Lastly, is she open to doing Hindi films? Sonal explained, “Of course. I am open to everything. Now, I am way choosier about what I do. I am not doing too much. Whether you do a good project or a bad project, the amount of energy it takes from you is the same. Hence, I might pick my projects carefully so that I get rewarded for it (smiles).”
Also Read: Himesh Reshammiya announces Capmania tour across India: “It’s grand, it’s epic”
More Pages: Damadamm! Box Office Collection , Damadamm! Movie ReviewTags : Bollywood Features, Dace Puce, Damadamm!, Down The Memory Lane, Exclusive, Features, Flashback, Himesh Reshammiya, Manny, Opens Up, Radio, Sonal Sehgal, The Great Departure, Throwback
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