Post by : Meena Ariff

Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh has courageously shared her personal struggle with bulimia and emotional eating, which have been ongoing since her physical transformation for Dangal. During promotional activities for her new film, Gustaakh Ishq, alongside Vijay Varma, she provided a sincere reflection on her mental health challenges in an episode of the podcast Chapter 2 hosted by Rhea Chakraborty.

Fatima disclosed that her complex relationship with food began while preparing for the role of wrestler Geeta Phogat in Dangal, where she trained for nearly three hours daily and consumed between 2,500 and 3,000 calories. Although her regimen was effective during filming, she struggled to revert to a balanced diet afterward. Her high caloric intake lingered even as her training reduced, leading to a gradual onset of an unhealthy eating pattern.

This change resulted in an emotional reliance on food, severely impacting her mental well-being. Fatima revealed that she endured bulimia for two years, entrapped in a strict and obsessive dieting routine. Constant thoughts about food disrupted her mental state, leading to binge-eating episodes during emotionally distressing times, followed by periods of extreme restriction. These cycles were so debilitating that they occasionally prevented her from engaging in daily life, making it difficult to leave her home.

In her path to recovery, Fatima recounted a turning point when her Dangal co-star Sanya Malhotra confronted her about her eating habits. This conversation prompted her to reflect on her behaviors, evoking feelings of shame yet helping her understand the psychological ramifications of her disorder. She expressed gratitude to screenwriter Rahul Mody for guiding her toward healthier eating habits and providing emotional support.

Fatima emphasized that mental health struggles often go unnoticed, despite appearing outwardly fine. She described her internal battles with “demons and dark thoughts,” stressing that overeating was not the root cause—rather, it was her inclination to use food to mask complicated emotions, insecurities, and stress.

Despite the hurdles, Fatima is cultivating greater awareness of her emotional triggers and is dedicated to nurturing a more compassionate and balanced relationship with food. She recognized the journey is lengthy but is resolute in her pursuit of healing and self-acceptance.

On the professional front, Fatima was recently featured in the Netflix release Aap Jaisa Koi alongside R. Madhavan and played a significant role in Life in a... Metro's sequel. Her upcoming project, Gustaakh Ishq, is already making waves as she engages in the promotional campaign.

#Global News #Entertainment News