Author, filmmaker and cancer survivor Tahira Kashyap turned 35 on January 21. Not only has she defeated cancer and come out smiling, but she has also inspired other women to embrace their selves and fight to get better. Let's take a look at Tahira's journey through some pictures
Updated On: 2020-01-22 08:28 AM IST
Tahira Kashyap was born on January 21 to Yajan and Anita Kashyap. The 35-year-old writer-director is married to Ayushmann Khurrana. (All pictures/Tahira Kashyap's Instagram account)
Check out this faded picture of a young Tahira with her father. Absolutely adorable!
Tahira Kashyap has directed a critically acclaimed film, Toffee. She and Ayushmann were childhood sweethearts and got hitched in 2008.
Here's a picture of Tahira and Ayushmann from their sangeet ceremony. How very young they look! Tahira captioned this image: "11 years back we had each other's as**s and still do! Happy anniversary @ayushmannk (This one's from our sangeet and marriage. And I remember my heart was pounding, beating, bouncing 10 times faster and still does though the reasons might have changed! Kidding you still get to me just like before."
Tahira Kashyap and Ayushmann Khurrana are proud parents to two kids - a son Virajveer and daughter Varushka.
Pictured: Tahira with Virajveer while she was pregnant with Varushka
Virajveer was born on January 2, 2012, and their daughter Varushka was born on April 21, 2014.
Pictured: Tahira with Varushka
In a recent interview, Tahira confessed that she was insecure about Ayushmann's intimate scenes in his films, but she learnt how to overcome that feeling.
Pictured: Tahira Kashyap and Ayushmann Khurrana celebrate Karwa Chauth outside one of his film's sets
About feeling insecure, Tahira told IANS, "I was insecure earlier but when I was watching the edits of Andhadhun, I told the team that something is missing in the make-out scene between Ayushmann and Radhika Apte. That moment I realised about the transformation, from being an insecure wife to analysing the make-out scenes."
Talking about her own identity, Tahira said, "I know Ayushmann for 18 years and I take pride in being called as Ayushmann's wife. As far as my identity is concerned, the world has been really receptive towards the message I have of self-acceptance. People have started to accept me for who I am and my presence, opinion, and existence."
The author-director is a big proponent of self-love and being comfortable in one's own skin. She was diagnosed with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) Stage 0 breast cancer, and it's incredible how positively she has dealt with it. But, as is with most difficult diagnoses, Tahira, too, had good days and bad.
Pictured: Tahira with her dad
In an interview with mid-day, Tahira recalled being the most active among her peers. "I was in my school's basketball team, and captain of the girls' cricket team. I was also a runner, and played javelin throw and shot put. When in the gym, I could lift the entire rack of 12 plates of weight when training the lower body. Today, I can barely lift three," she said, admitting that her morale took a hit following chemotherapy for breast cancer.
She further shared, "The surgery involved removing lymph nodes around my right arm, so I've been advised against lifting more than five kilos to prevent inflammation. But, there's nothing stopping me from challenging my lower body. Whether it takes me four months or a year, I will go back to being as strong I was." How inspiring, Tahira!
"I never treated my body, mind and soul as one entity. I always thought physical health was important, and mental toh kuch hota hi nahin hai. So, I exercised a lot. But I think [the cancer] was a manifestation of the negativity that I had been harbouring. Had I gone to a doctor, I would have been declared clinically depressed. But I chose to cry every night instead of visiting one. I was living a dual life..."
Pictured: With brother-in-law Aparshakti Khurana. Tahira captioned this image: "Happy birthday to the best brother-in-law in the world @aparshakti_khurana! You by far are one of the most beautiful human beings I have met and there many more to vouch for it!"
"My husband was shooting; I would spend hours at night crying, and put up the front of a happy person in the morning so that I didn't look like a loser before my children, who were aged two and four then. It was only after I practised Buddhist chanting, and focused on my mental health that things changed," she concluded.
Tahira Kashyap has been a huge inspiration for many women battling cancer and those who are on the road to recovery. Tahira shared this beautiful photo on Instagram on World Cancer Day and wrote, "Today is my day! Wish you all a happy #worldcancerday and hope each one of us celebrates this day in an embracing way. That we remove any stigma or taboo associated with it. That we spread awareness about it and that we have self love no matter what. I truly embrace all my scars as they are my badges of honour. There is nothing known as perfect. Happiness lies in truly accepting yourself. This was a tough one for me. But this picture was my decision as I want to celebrate not the disease but the spirit with which I endured."
Another picture that proves Tahira's belief in body positivity is this one of her not caring about her 'tummy folds'! Here's what she captioned this photo, "Nope it's not that post to say 'take me back to Bahamas' not using that alibi to post this! honestly achi lagi yeh picture, candid thi @ayushmannk ne click ki. Tummy ke folds bhi hain, par woh hain mere aur bahot hi haseen hain! (I honestly liked this picture, it was candid clicked by Ayushmann Khurrana. Tummy folds can be seen too, but they're mine and they're beautiful!)"
