Somy Ali recollects the advice that Suniel Shetty had given her after her blunt
Actress Somy Ali, who is infamous for her frank honesty and fearlessness of opinion, recently shared a candid memory about one of the pivotal moments in her Bollywood career. She spoke to Free Press Journal about how Suniel Shetty had helped her when she went blunt about a director’s work during a private screening.
During her time in Bollywood, Somy Ali was invited to a private preview of the rushes of a film at Sanjay Dutt’s home theater. Her candid and blunt nature started taking over while watching clips, and she began criticizing the movie, calling it “the worst” she had ever seen. Her remarks left the director visibly shaken, and the situation became tense in no time.
Somy vividly recalled the incident, saying, “The director looked like he had seen a dead body when I told him that.” Her raw honesty, though genuine, was not well-received in an industry that often prioritizes diplomacy over candor.
Suniel Shetty Steps In
Seeing the tension, co-star and industry veteran Suniel Shetty stepped up to teach her. He drew her to one side and explained some of the unsaid laws of Bollywood and told her she should tactfully handle such situations.
“Suniel pulled me aside and said, ‘You can’t do that here. This isn’t Miami and you can’t speak what’s in your head out loud,'” Somy recounted. His words went to outline the need of going tactful in the film industry with something Somy hardly managed to adjust to.
She admitted that she would not sugarcoat her opinions and yielded to Bollywood’s expectation of being ‘benevolent’; Somy was mostly the misfit in many ways. When all fought against her for the boldness, she loved her honesty, unperturbed about staying true to herself.
By the time Somy reached 40, she decided to choose her peace and self-respect over following societal norms. She quipped, “I could not live a pretentious life and had to pay the price in the terms of relation, but I chose myself.
Somy further revealed other instances in her career where her honesty set ripples. In her first interview, she made bold remarks about several actors, sparking controversy at the time. This fallout taught her the challenges of being unapologetically honest in an industry governed by image and perception.
Somy, according to her closest friends, was close to the late Divya Bharti who expressed similar sentiments in uttering disregard for the wishes of society. They bonded on her frankness, but she claimed to find going about as a teenager through Bollywood so very daunting without any direction whatsoever.
While Somy is long gone from Bollywood, the impact she has left beyond the silver screen will continue to be felt for years. She now heads an NGO called No More Tears, which looks after survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. She has transformed from a bold actress to a caring social activist, which is her approach to authenticity and difference-making.
The Somy Ali story is a testament to how staying true to oneself in the face of criticism is quite powerful. It is one story that runs parallel to Suniel Shetty’s valuable advice about the problems of balancing honesty with diplomacy in Bollywood. Despite all odds against her, Somy continues to inspire with her resilience and authenticity, reminding us that success lies not in fitting in but standing out for the right reasons.
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