Swara really wanted kids; tried IVF treatments before marrying Fahad
What's the story
Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker, currently a contestant on the reality show Rise & Fall Season 2, has revealed that she had planned to become a single mother before marrying activist Fahad Ahmad. In an episode of the show, she disclosed that she underwent two rounds of failed In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments. The actor also shared how she received two pieces of good news simultaneously: her wedding and her first pregnancy.
IVF journey
'I had convinced my parents...'
Speaking with fellow contestants Priyanka Chahar Choudhary and Irina Rudukova, Bhasker said, "I was okay to do IVF. I had convinced my parents ki yaar meri shaadi toh hone se rahi (I was probably not going to get married). I will have a child through IVF."
"First they were like, 'Hain?' And then...they were like, 'Okay,' but...(they) said, 'Listen, it will be very challenging in a country like India. But it's okay if that's what you want.'"
Relationship timeline
IVF rounds from an anonymous sperm bank donor
Bhasker, who met Ahmad at a protest in December 2019, said their friendship turned into love over time.
"I really wanted to have a child, a family. I did two rounds of IVF from an anonymous sperm bank donor but it failed," she said on the show.
"Then Fahad and I hooked up. We were friends for a long time."
The couple got married under the Special Marriage Act in January, 2023, and welcomed their daughter Raabiyaa in September 2023.
Show details
About 'Rise & Fall' Season 2
Hosted by Virender Sehwag, Rise & Fall Season 2 features 15 celebrities from various fields.
The contestants are divided into two groups: the Rulers and the Workers. While the Rulers enjoy luxury in a penthouse, the Workers live in a basement and fight for survival.
The show is available for free on Prime Video with new episodes dropping daily at noon.