Aruna Irani recently revealed that she quietly battled breast cancer not once but twice in her life. Fans were in shock as the veteran actress didn't let the public know the ordeal she went through. Now, Aruna Irani has opened up about that chapter of her life and shared inside details.
In an interview with Lehren, the actress recalled that her first diagnosis came after she felt unwell while on a shoot.
The actress said, "Aise hi ek din shooting kar rahi thi, pata nahi mujhe kaise pata laga par maine bola ‘Mujhe kuch lag raha hai' [I was shooting one day, I don't know how I found out, but I said, 'I am feeling something]."
She was first diagnosed in 2015, when the actress consulted a doctor, they brushed it off as a small lump. However, she insisted on getting it removed right away. She was advised to undergo chemotherapy but she declined, fearing it would affect her appearance and impact her acting career.
Aruna Irani said, "Then the doctor said you will have to take a pill and I chose that as I was working. How would I shoot if I lose my hair."
Her cancer came back in March 2020, right before the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, she chose to follow the doctor's advice and undergo chemotherapy.
“Meri hi galti thi, as pehle maine chemotherapy nahi li thi (It was my fault because I did not opt for chemotherapy the first time). This time around, I took it,” she said.
Aruna Irani's health journey wasn't only affected by cancer, the actress also got diabetes at 60 and faced a kidney scare where doctors said both kidneys had failed, but fortunately, she recovered without needing major treatment.
Aruna's acting career spans over six decades, beginning as a child artist in films like Ganga Jumna (1961) and Anpadh (1962). She gradually transitioned to adult roles, appearing in films like Aulad (1968), Humjoli (1970), Devi (1970), and Naya Zamana (1971).
Aruna Irani also ventured into direction and production, helming popular shows like Mehndi Tere Naam Ki and Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand.