Sana Saeed has opened up about one of the most difficult chapters of her life, revealing that she struggled with bulimia for six years before realizing she had an eating disorder. Best remembered for her role as young Anjali in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Sana reflected on the shame, isolation and physical stress that defined her journey, and shared how she found the strength to fully recover over the next four years.
Sana Saeed talks about the shame of battling bulimia
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Sana Saeed recalled how she spent many years believing that her illness was a bad habit rather than a known disease.“What seemed like to me was a bad habit I made, something I had to figure out for myself. I felt so ashamed around it, thinking I was the only one struggling with this. For six years, I didn’t have a name for what I was going through. I was determined to get better and find a healthy way to eat and finally, I found a book about recovery that gave me a language for what I was struggling with. That’s when the real healing began, and it took four years to fully heal.“In retrospect, the actress admitted that she wished she had understood her illness earlier, adding that sharing her experiences in public was more important than fear of being protected.“Now that I’m cured, it really affects me that if my story helps even one person to feel less alone in their lives, that’s more important than the discomfort of being vulnerable in public.”He also explained that no one blames him for his problems.“I don’t look back at a moment or a person to blame. I look back at a girl who didn’t have the tools to separate who she looked from who she was, in a place that made the separation harder than it needed to be.”Sana revealed that the biggest turning point in her recovery was when she started thinking about the life she wanted to live.“The real turning point came when my reason for healing grew and I couldn’t think about my future living with this problem. I remember telling myself that if I got married, I wouldn’t really enjoy dating my husband if I was preoccupied with food anxiety. That if I had children, I never wanted to pass this on. If any of that was going to be my future, I had to recover first.”According to the actor, thinking about a better future motivated him to prioritize recovery over perfection.
Sana Saeed on body image and social pressure
Reflecting on her upbringing, Sana said the pressure to look a certain way extended far beyond entertainment.“I remember when I was in college and seeing all my friends around me eating, trying to lose weight, talking about their changing bodies. That was the time of zero size when skinny was, when there were ten different diets available on Google and everyone I knew was running on a treadmill”.He added that discussing health and nutrition was not enough in those years.“My world appreciated weight loss and nothing else, not how you felt, not if you starved yourself all day to look a certain way.
Sana Saeed in recovery and recovery
Earlier this month, Sana also shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, revealing that she spent years unaware that she was suffering from bulimia.“I didn’t know that I had an eating disorder for many years. Not because I wasn’t suffering, but because I never heard the word. Growing up, no one talked about it. There was no language for what I was going through, so I carried it silently by myself for a long time.”He concluded his message by assuring that he will recover and encouraging others who are facing similar challenges to seek professional help.“I have recovered well and have never felt more at home in my body or soul. If you are struggling, please talk to someone you trust or look into eating disorder support in your area. You need real help from the right person to give it to you. “
About Sana Saeed
Sana Saeed rose to fame as a young artist after portraying Anjali, Shah Rukh KhanDaughter, in the 1998 blockbuster ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. She later appeared in films like ‘Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega’ and ‘Badal’ before switching to television and films including ‘Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na’ and ‘Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki’. He returned to the big screen as an adult in ‘Student of the Year’. Currently in Los Angeles, Sana runs a production company with her friend, Csaba Wagner.