A decades-long battle with health issues—including cancer—made Sunaina Roshan advocate for women to see signs early and take action fast
Sunaina Roshan has been talking about her health struggles on social media in the hope that it helps others. PIC/RAJ PATIL
She might not look it, but her petite frame and delicate countenance house a survivor. Sunaina Roshan, soft-spoken and exuding classy-woman energy at 54, has endured illnesses that would fell most people, and has emerged triumphant.
ADVERTISEMENT
Sunaina, looking cool in a blush peach top and white trousers, welcomes us, remarking that she had not realised her father was at home. Rakesh Roshan is indeed there and he is busy, playing cards at the family dining table in the next room. There seem to be plenty of players, with family and friends surrounding the man—proof of the well-known fact that Sunaina has always had the love and support of the Roshan family.
A photograph of Sunaina with brother Hrithik back in 2013. PIC/GETTY IMAGES
The famous photograph of Hrithik with his father peeking from behind, and paintings of Sunaina and her daughter, adorn the white marble walls. Sunaina insists on all of us having a snack, “It’s paneer and ragi snacks—so it’s all healthy,” she says. “I loved paneer but I had to give it up. I could eat it every day for all the three meals for all my life but things had to change after my jaundice,” she adds.
The jaundice was the most recent health scare she received, back in May of 2023. “The health scares I have faced have all been a matter of life and death; nothing normal has happened to me,” she says jokingly. From meningitis back in 2003 to her diagnosis with one of the rarest cancers—cervical lymphoma—in 2007, Sunaina has battled it all and emerged with head held high.
“During the chemotherapy I was pretty strong mentally. I knew what I had to do, but I think it really dawned on me when I had my last chemotherapy session. The doctor said that it would take another 10 minutes. Sussanne (Khan) was next to me and said something to the effect of it being my last chemotherapy and that I will be free—that broke me and I started howling,” recalls Sunaina.
Hrithik and Sunaina Roshan on the sets of the movie Kites. FILE PIC
Through Instagram, Sunaina has been advocating for women to do better about their health. She feels that any delay, if you think something is not quite right with your body, is unacceptable. “I was bleeding heavily during my periods in the last two months before I got diagnosed with cancer. It was my mother (Pinky Roshan) who insisted that I should go to the doctor and get checked, she and in fact all my family were my support systems all throughout my health journey,” she adds.
The 2023 jaundice bout, Sunaina confesses, was when she decided that “Ab bas ho gaya” and that she wanted to talk about her health in the hopes of inspiring others to never give up. She took to Instagram a little over a year ago and has become the champion for better eating habits, working out, and gut health in particular. “With my other health challenges I always had medication, therapy etc, but for the jaundice I couldn’t take anything lest it overwhelm my already weak system. So I had to rely on my body completely to recover and that really changed the way I eat; I went for a complete gut reset,” says Sunaina.
Her reels on Instagram (@roshansunaina) on the subject have garnered 50,000 followers, fans of Sunaina’s quiet yet steely resolve. “I have been getting so much love online and I never expected it. I am not great at public speaking so these small, lovely little videos that I do at my home allow me to tell my story within my comfort zone,” she says.
So what next for Sunaina Roshan? “I am working towards ridding myself of the fear of public speaking. So I am hoping that by the end of this year I will be able to do a Ted Talk, and even if one person really listens and changes their life—well that’s enough,” she adds.
We will tune in, Sunaina; power to you.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
