'Each child was...': Farah Khan gets candid about IVF struggles
What's the story
Director Farah Khan recently opened up about her difficult in vitro fertilization (IVF) journey on tennis star Sania Mirza's podcast Serving It Up With Sania. She was one of the first celebrities to openly talk about IVF when it was still taboo. Khan spoke about the emotional turmoil, physical pain from the treatment, and her husband Shirish Kunder's unwavering support. She said, "Shirish looked after me...he bathed me, washed me...doing all sorts of things a husband shouldn't have to see."
Emotional turmoil
The challenges of carrying triplets
Khan's journey was not easy, as she carried triplets, which intensified the side effects. "I used to have stomach rashes and was constantly in the loo as each child was pressing on my bladder." "I couldn't even lie flat and often slept on a recliner to ease my discomfort," she revealed. Meanwhile, before her pregnancy, daily hospital visits and injections became her routine, but despite her optimism, the first two IVF attempts were unsuccessful.
Turning point
How a break in filming helped Khan
Khan recalled how a break in Om Shanti Om's shooting schedule changed everything. She said, "During the shoot, there was a one-and-a-half-month break. Shah Rukh, every June-July, used to take a break and go to London with his children." "That break came as a godsend for me. During that time, I had no work and could relax and undergo IVF." At 42, with only a few viable eggs left, she decided to give it one last shot, and it worked!
Parenthood
The couple welcomed their triplets in 2008
Khan knew how much Kunder wanted to be a father. Their patience was rewarded in 2008 when they welcomed triplets, Diva, Anya, and Czar, four years after tying the knot in 2004. Meanwhile, Khan has seemingly stepped away from filmmaking in the last few years; she has instead donned the hat of a YouTuber, focusing on cooking vlogs.