Netizens best know actress Fatima Sana Sheikh for her role in Aamir Khan’s biographical sports film ‘Dangal.’ The title emerged as a blockbuster and amassed the stars significant laurels. In a recent interview, the actress reveals the diagnosis of her epilepsy during the filming of ‘Dangal’. At first, she feigned denial and avoided medications. Subsequently, she feared about people finding out owing to the stigma attached to the condition. However, with time, she has learnt to cope with her disease and speaks about it openly.
During her conversation with Filmfare, Fatima revealed, “I was diagnosed with epilepsy during the Dangal shoot. At first, I was in denial and wasn’t willing to accept that I had a neurological disorder, so I didn’t take any medication. I was scared I might have an episode in front of people. Epilepsy carries a lot of stigma. People think you’re either on drugs, seeking attention, or possessed and should be avoided.” Talking about the sparse knowledge of the disease and how to handle it, Fatima expressed how she feared the condition.
Stating the consequences of her leniency with medications, she reveals having seizures once or twice a week. “Because I was inconsistent with my medication, I would have more seizures. I didn’t want to take medicines; I was fighting not just with people, but also with the medication itself. I thought I didn’t need them to live a normal life.”
As the conversation progressed, the ‘Sam Bahadur’ actress revealed that she stopped attending events due to her fear of seizures. Noting that flashing lights could trigger one, she informed the paparazzi about her condition. Fatima iterated that they were very considerate of her condition and didn’t use flash photography.
She said, “I would get seizures once or twice a week, and the anxiety before events was overwhelming. Flashing lights are a known trigger for epilepsy, though they don’t always cause a seizure. But, I was so afraid that I stopped attending events and screenings. Eventually, I informed the paparazzi about my condition, and they were incredibly considerate. They made a point not to use flashlights when I was around. Sometimes, my colleagues wouldn’t understand, but the paparazzi did.”
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Now, the actress doesn’t feel scared about epilepsy and has told her colleagues about it. She manages her work and events as her health permits. She stated that sometimes there are days when she simply can’t shoot. Moreover, at times her episodes cause the cancellation of shoots. There are days when her migraines are so severe, she is unable to work.
On the work front, Fatima Sana Shaikh’s last was ‘Sam Bahadur’ and her next is ‘Metro…In Dino.’