Fatima Sana Shaikh’s portrayal of Geeta Phogat in the Aamir Khan-led biographical sports drama film Dangal made her a household name. By now, the audience knows how much efforts were put in by the entire cast to play the characters in the movie perfectly. But did you know that the young actress was diagnosed with epilepsy during the shoot?
During an interview with Filmfare, Fatima Sana Shaikh opened up about being diagnosed with epilepsy. She stated that it was during the Dangal shoot that she got to know about it. At first, she was in denial and wasn’t willing to accept that she had a neurological disorder. This is why she didn’t take any medication. “I was scared I might have an episode in front of people,” she stated that epilepsy carries a lot of stigmas.
The Dhak Dhak actress further stated, “I would get seizures once or twice a week, and the anxiety before events was overwhelming.” Talking more about the condition, she expressed that flashing lights are a known trigger for epilepsy when though they don’t always cause a seizure. Hence, she was afraid, and eventually, she stopped attending events and screenings. But she decided to finally inform the paparazzi about my condition who respected it and were considerate too. The shutterbugs would make a point not to use flashlights when she was around. “Sometimes, my colleagues wouldn’t understand, but the paparazzi did,” he said expressing her gratitude to the media.
While chatting to the publication, Fatima stated that there are days when she simply can’t shoot. Sometimes her episodes cause shoots to be canceled, and there are days when her migraines are so severe that she is unable to work. Having said that, she admitted that since she was inconsistent with her medication, she 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,” the actress divulged.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Fatima Sana Shaikh will be next seen in Metro In Dino followed by Ul Jalool Ishq.
