When Sonali Phogat said she was ‘mentally tortured’ after her husband’s death: ‘People tried to take advantage…’

Bigg Boss 14 fame Sonali Phogat, who was a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, died on Monday in Goa. In an old interview, Sonali spoke about her struggles and how she got married just after finishing Class 10. She also spoke about how after her husband Sanjay Phogat’s death she was ‘mentally tortured’ by the people. Also Read: BJP leader and actress Sonali Phogat dies of heart attack in Goa

In a 2020 interview with Hindustan Times, Sonali Phogat said, “I come from a very humble background. I was born in a farmer’s family. I studied at a government school till Class X and I was married off after that. After marriage, I decided that I want to do something and show the world that women should not be weak but work shoulder to shoulder with the men. In Haryana, only the men go out of the house. It was like that in our family as well. My in-laws allowed me to study further but they did not want me to go out and work. However, I convinced my husband and got his permission. Then, my struggle started because I got into the acting line, and there was no one to help me. I had to make it on my own. Then, I became associated with politics, and my husband supported me here as well.”

She added, “But after he died, I saw the reality of people and how they view a woman. If a woman is good-looking and alone, she is not allowed to live. She is mentally tortured and wrong things are said about her. People make all kinds of attempts to force you to sit at home or take advantage of you. After my husband passed away, I faced many such hardships, which have made me stronger.”

Sonali started her acting career with the show Ek Maa Jo Laakhon Ke Liye Bani Amma in 2016. After this, she appeared in several Haryanvi and Punjabi films and music videos. In 2016, Sonali’s husband, Sanjay Phogat was found dead under mysterious circumstances. His body was found in a field near their family’s farmhouse.

Sonali had gone to Goa with a few of her staff members and died at Grand Leoney Resort, Anjuna, where she had gone to attend a function on Monday. She is survived by her daughter Yashodhara Phogat.