Among many, Fatima Sana Shaikh stole the limelight for her powerhouse performance as Geeta Phogat in Aamir Khan’s Dangal. Still, little did we all know that this film brought her to the limelight after years of a successful career as a child artist. In a recent interview, the actress opened up about her diagnosis of epilepsy while shooting for Dangal. She spoke about everything, from being terrified that a seizure would get her in public to learning to deal with the condition slowly and making her peace with it.
Opening up for a tete-e-tete with Filmfare, Shaikh revealed how she initially struggled to come to terms with her diagnosis. Fully aware of the stigma that comes along with epilepsy, she said she was scared people would call her an attention-seeker.
“I was diagnosed with epilepsy during the Dangal shoot. “Initially, I was in denial and did not want to accept that I was suffering from a neurological disorder-so, I would steer clear from taking my medications. It’s so overwhelming to think of having an episode in front of people. There’s quite a lot of stigma attached to epilepsy; a lot of them think that you are on drugs or seeking attention, or even possessed.
Shaikh also spoke of her struggles with medication, first feeling that she didn’t need any. She said having seizures once or twice a week made her withdraw into her shell around public events. “The anxiety before attending events was overwhelming. Flashing lights are known triggers for epilepsy, and while they don’t always induce a seizure, I became so fearful that I started avoiding events and screenings altogether,” she said.
The actress explained that she communicated with the paparazzi, and once she explained her condition to them, they were being “super considerate.” They started clicking pictures of her sans flash, which has helped her cope better with public appearances. Shaikh said she attempts to schedule her time properly, but there are days when her episodes worsen, or migraines may be a problem.
On the professional front, Fatima Sana Shaikh was last seen in the movie Sam Bahadur and will next be seen in Metro…In Dino.
