Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who became popular with the 2016 film Dangal, was diagnosed with epilepsy during the shooting of the film. The 32-year-old actor recently opened up about his fear of experiencing the phenomenon in front of people in an interview, as he believed the neurological disorder carries “quite a stigma” in society.

“I was diagnosed with epilepsy during the shooting of Dangal,” Fatima told Filmfare. “At first, I was in denial and unwilling to admit that I had a neurological disorder, so I didn’t take any medications.” He was afraid that he might have an affair in front of people.

The actor said, “Epilepsy comes with a lot of stigma. People think you’re either on drugs, seeking attention, or you have it and should avoid it.”

Initially, she also avoided medication, thinking she could live a normal life without it. “Because I was inconsistent with my medication, I had more seizures. I didn’t want to take medications; I was not only fighting people, but also fighting drugs. I thought I didn’t need them to live a normal life,” she shared.

Fatima, who later acted in films like Ludo, Thugs of Hindostan and Dhak Dhak, would experience seizures once or twice a week, leaving her anxious before events.

Fatima Sana Shaikh said, “Flashing lights are a known trigger for epilepsy, although they do not always cause seizures. But I was so scared that I stopped attending events and screenings.”

However, she eventually informed the paparazzi about her situation. The actor shared, “They were incredibly considerate. They made it a point not to use flash photography when I was around. Sometimes, my coworkers wouldn’t understand, but the paparazzi would.”

Now, a few years after her diagnosis, Fatima has accepted her health condition and is not afraid to talk openly about it in front of people. She deals with it without any shame: “There are days when I can’t shoot. Sometimes shoots are canceled because of my episodes, and there are days when my migraine is so severe that I I am unable to work.”

The actor first spoke about his medical condition during an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session with his fans on social media in 2022.

“I discovered it when I was training for Dangal. I had an episode and woke up straight in hospital. Then I found out there was something called epilepsy (Then I came to know about the disease called epilepsy). At first he was in denial (for five years). And now, I’ve learned to embrace it and work and live around it,” she wrote on Instagram.

Fatima Sana Shaikh, who was last seen in Sam Bahadur with Vicky Kaushal, will next be seen in Anurag Basu’s Metro…In Dino.