Kulkarni began her career as a model and dancer, making her acting debut in the Marathi television series Ha Khel Sanchitacha (2006) and subsequently in the film Gauri (2006). Her breakthrough came with the title role in Kedar Shinde's Bakula Namdeo Ghotale (2007), which earned her the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar for Best Actress and the Maharashtra State Film Award for Best Debut Actress. Her performance in the Tamasha drama film Natarang (2010), where she portrayed the dancer Nayna Kolhapurkarin, earned her widespread recognition and the title "Apsara of Marathi Industry." The film was a critical and commercial success, further solidifying her status in the industry.
Throughout the 2010s, Kulkarni appeared in several notable films, including Nitin Chandrakant Desai's Ajintha (2012), the horror comedy Zapatlela 2 (2013), the ensemble coming-of-age Classmates (2015), the thriller Shutter (2015), and the drama Poshter Girl (2016). Her role as a strong girl in the romantic drama Mitwaa (2015) garnered her a Filmfare Award Marathi nomination for Best Actress. She made her Hindi film debut with the adult comedy Grand Masti (2013) and appeared in a supporting role in Singham Returns (2014). She continued to experiment with various genres in Marathi, earning acclaim for her performances as an unhappy girl in Hampi (2017), the dissatisfied wife in Tula Kalnnaar Nahi (2017), and the brave mother in Hirkani (2019), the latter of which won her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.
Kulkarni married Kunal Benodekar in 2021 in Dubai.
Early life
Sonalee Kulkarni was born to Manohar and Savinder Kulkarni in the army cantonment of Khadki, Pune into a Marathi Brahmin family.[2] Her father Manohar Kulkarni is a retired Army doctor. She studied at Army School, Kendriya Vidyalaya and finished her graduation in mass communication and journalism from Fergusson College, Pune. She also has a post graduation degree in mass communication from Indira School of Communication.[3] Sonalee has a younger brother who owns an event company called Fledgers.[4]
Acting career
Early work and recognition (2006–2009)
Kulkarni started her career as a model and dancer, and while doing a small role in a docu-drama in FTII, she first witnessed a motion picture camera, which sparked her interest in acting. She made her acting debut with the Marathi daily soap Ha Khel Sanchitacha (2006), alongside veteran Marathi actor Vikram Gokhle.[5] The same year, she made her film debut with a title role in Gauri (2006), where she played an innocent and open-minded girl who falls ill suddenly and undergoes treatment in a shepherd's house. On the sets of Ha Khel Sanchitacha, she was offered Gadhvacha Lagna, where she did a cameo as Apsara Rambha in a dance number called Indra Darbari, Nache Sundari.[6] During this period, she had a meeting with Ankush Chaudhari, for his directorial debut with Saade Maade Teen (2007). Chaudhari then recommended her to Kedar Shinde for his comedy drama Bakula Namdeo Ghotale (2007). This marked her first film as a lead actress. Critic Pradip Patil wrote in his review, "Kulkarni plays her part with confidence."[7] She received Best Actress at the Zee Gaurav Puraskar and also Best Debut Actress at 45th Maharashtra State Film Awards.[8]
In the following years, she starred in the ensemble Hai Kai Nai Kai (2009), the romantic comedy Goshta Lagnanantarchi (2010), and the romantic ensemble Kshanbhar Vishranti (2010).[9] These movies did not have much success at the box office.
Rise to prominence (2010–2014)
In 2010, Sonalee was seen in Ravi Jadhav's Natarang, a drama based on Anand Yadav's 1978 Marathi novel of the same name, which depicts the journey of a young artist in overcoming hurdles related to gender bias and the sacrifices of an artist for the love of his art. She portrayed Nayna Kolhapurkarin, the young dancer in Guna's (played by Atul Kulkarni) troupe. The film was selected as the opening film at the Asian Film Festival and also screened at the MAMI Film Festival and the Pune International Film Festival.[10] It was one of the highest grossing Marathi films till 2017. Critics were divided over her performance, although they praised her dance in the film.[11][12] Kulkarni is known as the "Apsara of Marathi Industry" after her performance in the song "Apsara Ali" in the film.[13] Her next release was Kedar Shinde's Irada Pakka where she played the character of Aadya a pre-school teacher opposite Siddharth Jadhav.[14] She ended 2010 with Gajendra Ahire's Samudra where she worked opposite veteran Marathi actor Mohan Agashe. Both the films was received positive reviews from critics and audiences.
After a year's gap, she appeared in Ajintha (2012), directed by Nitin Chandrakant Desai. The film tells a love story between a Marathi Buddhist tribal Paro (played by Kulkarni) and British Major Robert Gill, an artist, while he visited India to paint historical monuments and scriptures. The film was well received by critics, Shakti Salgaokar of DNA wrote, "One can't help but notice that Kulkarni flaunts her body in revealing outfits with much grace."[15] Keyur Seta of The Common Man Speaks, calling it a "picturesque saga," wrote, "Kulkarni moulds herself brilliantly in the role of Paro and expresses every emotion with ease. She impresses with her dancing skills too. This will surely be a talked-about performance from her career, even after decades."[16]
Established actress and commercial success (2015–2019)
In 2015, she had three releases, the first of all was Aditya Sarpotdar's coming-of-age film Classmates, a remake of the 2006 Malayalam film with the same name, alongside an ensemble cast of Chaudhari, Sai Tamhankar, Sachit Patil, and Siddharth Chandekar.[21] Her role and the film were critically and commercially acclaimed, becoming one of the highest grossing Marathi films of all time.[22] Her next release was the romantic drama Mitwaa, opposite Swapnil Joshi and Prarthana Behere.[23] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India, for her portrayal, wrote, "Sonalee sans makeup plays her role of a girl trapped between love and marital ties well"[24] The film collected ₹13.5 crore (US$1.7 million) at the box office. She received the nomination at the Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar and the Filmfare Awards Marathi in the Best Actress category. Her last release of the year was the thriller Shutter, another remake of the Malayalam film of the same name.[25] The film showcases incidents that happen to four people in 24 hours, and Kulkarni portrayed Hooker, who was played by Sajitha Madathil in the original.[26] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India described her as "the conniving and manipulative turned soft-hearted prostitute."[27] In 2016, Kulkarni had only one release, Poster Girl, which was average at the box office. She won Sanskruti Kaladarpan Award for Best Actress.[28]
Next she received second Filmfare Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of depressed girl who doesn't believe in love in Prakash Kunte's Hampi (2017), Blessy Chettiar of Cinestaan, remarked, "the character you love to hate. She is fiercely pessimistic and her self-loathing makes you cringe. But the lack of depth to her character limits Kulkarni,"[29] and Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India wrote, "Sonalee brings authenticity to her role by underplaying it and yet catching your attention throughout."[30] The film was commercial success. Her next film was Tula Kalnnaar Nahi opposite Subodh Bhave, the story revolves around love and hate relationship of husband and wife. Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India compared their pair to that of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol from KKHH and concluded, "the lead pair, has enacted the situations so naturally that you end up being hooked."[31]
In 2019, she once again collaborated with director Mrinal Kulkarni for romantic comedy Ti & Ti, which was shot in London and its suburb. She played the other 'Ti' in the story of arranged marriage couple Anay and Sai (played by Pushkar Jog and Behere respectively).[32] Ullhas Shirke of Marathi Movie World ascribed her performance by calling it, "Kulkarni grabs all the attention with her superb performance"[33] Her other two films of that year was Hirkani and Vicky Velingkar, in the both films she performed titular role. Hirkani, the historical drama directed by Prasad Oak about a brave woman and an amazing mother who lived near the Raigad Fort in Maharashtra during the regime Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.[34] Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India asserted, "The one thing that stands out about the film is Sonalee's performance. The actress sheds her glam image and delivers a beautiful performance, so much that you start associating her with the real character that the movie is based on."[35] The film was a huge commercial success with grossing over ₹12 crore at the box office. Kulkarni received Filmfare Critics Award, Sakaal Premier Awards and Maharashtracha Favourite Kon in Best Actress catory.[36] Her next release, Vicky Velingkar, a comic book artist and a clock seller gets entangled in an unexpected mystery and rises against all odds. It got mixed reviews from the critics and was below average at the box office.[37]
Experiment with unconventional roles (2020–present)
In 2022, she collaborated with Sanjay Jadhav for musical drama Tamasha Live, she played a budding reporter who dreams of working with a popular news anchor. Mihir Bhanage of The Times of India wrote, "Sonalee shines in her scenes and is consistent."[44] The film was a commercial failure. Kulkarni subsequently appeared in Victoria - Ek Rahasya, a horror-thriller film directed by Virajas Kulkarni.[45] She made her Malayalam debut with Lijo Jose Pellissery-directed 2024 period fantasy film Malaikottai Vaaliban opposite Mohanlal.
Personal life
Sonalee married Kunal Benodekar on 7 May 2021 in Dubai.[46][47]
^Shrikant Katre (2 March 2010). "साधी simple ... अप्सरा!" (in Marathi). eSakal.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
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