From heartbreak in Bollywood to battling human trafficking, Somy Ali’s journey is one of raw resilience and fearless purpose. After surviving nine near-fatal attacks, the No More Tears founder says risking her life to save others is a price she’s willing to pay.
Somy Ali, founder of the U.S.-based non-profit No More Tears, opened up about her past in a candid reflection on her journey from a teenage dreamer to a fearless activist. She arrived in Mumbai in 1991, not with intentions of becoming an actress, but driven by a youthful desire to meet and marry Bollywood star Salman Khan, whom she admired deeply. Although she eventually entered the film industry, her career in India was cut short following her breakup with the actor.
“Ending a relationship put me on the wrong side of many people,” Somy Ali shared. She added, “I was alone, and from the moment people discovered that I came to India primarily because of my feelings for Salman Khan, I faced judgment, mockery, and dislike.
It sounds foolish now, but I was just 16. What did I really know? People with power can be unkind when they choose to be, and I felt the brunt of that from several industry insiders.”
Somy Ali explained that few understood the challenges she faced at that age. “No one stopped to consider that I was still a teenager, trying to figure out life. I was dealing with a lot — my mother’s partner at the time was abusive, and my father had remarried, so I couldn’t stay with him and my stepsister in Pakistan.
I truly believed Salman Khan would be my saviour. That belief felt very real. I was just a lost kid — like being in a dark forest with no map or guide — and the more I tried to find my way, the deeper I sank,” she reflected.
Now fully dedicated to her NGO No More Tears, Somy Ali shared the dangers she faces while rescuing victims of human trafficking and abuse. “In the past 20 years, I’ve been attacked nine times. Right now, I have a broken wrist and am wearing a cast. One of the earlier attacks involved a trafficker holding a gun to my head, threatening me for intervening. These individuals operate in violent circles, and threats to life are taken lightly in their world,” she shared.
Due to the repeated risks, she is no longer permitted to personally accompany law enforcement during rescue operations. “After the ninth attack, the police asked me to stop entering with them because of the legal and safety risks. Still, I wait nearby in my car and drive the rescued individuals to our shelter once they’re brought out.
I’ve said this before: I’m not trying to be a martyr, but if I lose my life saving a child from being trafficked or raped, it would be a sacrifice I can live with. I’m not saying this to seem noble — it’s simply my truth. After surviving nine life-threatening incidents since 2007, I truly believe I was put on this earth to do this work,” Somy Ali ended.
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