'Dangal' star Fatima Sana Shaikh opens up about bulimia struggle
Fatima Sana Shaikh, known for Dangal, recently shared her experience with bulimia nervosa on the podcast Chapter 2 with Rhea Chakraborty.
She described how, after the film's release, food became her comfort and she'd binge for hours: "I hate myself because I have no control," she admitted.
What was going on?
Shaikh said her strict dieting made things worse—she was obsessed with calorie counts and would swing between nonstop eating and starving herself.
This cycle left her feeling isolated and anxious, which is common with bulimia.
How did things get better?
Her co-star Sanya Malhotra noticed something was off and spoke up, which made Shaikh realize she needed help.
With support from friends like screenwriter Rahul Mody and growing awareness about mental health, she's learned to be kinder to herself—even on tough days.