Sonali Kulkarni calls the bike “liberation”, which says it’s great for her mind and body

Sonali Kulkarni must have been around ten years old when she first started riding her bike. Riding two wheels of a cycle or bike was almost part of the culture she grew up in. In 40 years, not only will she continue to feel strong, but will benefit her physical fitness and mental health.

Sonali Kulkarni believes in cycling for fitness

In an interview with HT Health Shot, Sonali Kulkarni said: “Cycling is so much fun! When I exercise, I like movement. I’m not someone who can exercise in one place. So the movements of the cycling itself are exciting for me. Naturally!”

Earlier in her life she realized that she was able to ride the cycle and manage her time on her own terms, rather than using public transport.

“At some point in my life, I wasted time and energy waiting for the bus. I was a very active teenager, so I wanted to save time. I had a classic dance class. I had a place I taught, I had college, I was interested in sports, I was obsessed with theater… So, when trying to achieve this on the bus, the service of public transport was very difficult. I was able to think along the way, without worrying about changing tickets,” she says.

She also recalls the memories of the rides with her friend, elder, aunt, mother and husband Nachic Pantovaidia. “Before we got married, we were together. It was a great time to be together. We don’t always talk about it, but we feel the wind. It was very liberating.”

Want to burn calories to lose weight? Try cycling every day

Sonali Kulkarni started cycling as a child

Sonali Kulkarni’s eyes reflect sparks when they talk about their love for bicycles. It is clear that she has countless childhood memories and milestones associated with being on a motorcycle.

“The staple food Pune style involves knowing how to ride a motorcycle. It’s just as common as eating polybaji and balambat (a Maharashtrian meal). I started going to school on a cycle when I was in fifth grade.

It was Bajaj Kawasaki 4. Sonali says she felt that she was “very powerful” on it. “A lot of the heads turned… I realized how powerful and charmed it had,” she recalls receiving a letter from the boy, and praises her attitude towards the bike and her parking skills.

Sonali says that she had to wait to buy a bike until she earned money, as she belonged to a middle-class family and wasn’t spoiled with pocket money. Her first personal motorcycle was the Honda of athletics.

Even when she moved to Mumbai to pursue an acting career, both the cycle and the bike remained very close to her mind. She bought the “dream” cycle when she came to Mumbai, the “dream town.” It had a cute career and basketball. She uses the cycle to go to the groceries and the gym.

Sonari talks about safety while cycling

The curved roads and traffic have not stopped Sonali Kulkarni from riding a bicycle or cycle at age 50.

“I’m not one of those people who demand another cycle truck on the road, because I know what cities today carry. For management and government, it’s very difficult to create such an exclusive path for runners, cyclists and bikers. You have to find a safe zone and get on there,” the actress says.

Read again: Meet Mehdia Fathima, a biker mom who loves the smell of grease above Tadka!

Have you ever faced any kind of bias due to the fact that you can ride a bike?

“Riding a bike was unique in Pune as girls were riding very feminine Scoutie, Luna and Kinetic Hondas. But I was a biker. When I was riding a bike, I didn’t see any bias. In fact, there was always a sense of praise in people’s eyes,” she says.

However, when she began driving, she faced prejudice!

“It’s emphasised that women can’t drive well. It’s a cliché and I’m a very decent four-wheel driver so I want to break it. I drive a car in other countries. When I hear that comment.”