From Kirron Kher To Tahira Kashyap, Here Are 5 Bollywood Celebs Who Have Battled Cancer

News of Kirron Kher blood cancer diagnosis has rocked the Hindi film fraternity and the actor's fans: Actor and politician Kirron Kher was diagnosed with blood cancer last year. The revelation about her diagnosis was however made today by politician Arun Sood during an interaction with the media. Her husband Anupam Kher too released a statement confirming the news.

Here are five women from Bollywood who have fought cancer. Some of them have also spoken about their struggles and how the disease changed their perspective towards life.

1. Kirron Kher

Arun Sood, a colleague of BJP MP and veteran actor Kirron Kher recently revealed that she is suffering from blood cancer and is undergoing treatment in Mumbai. He also added that the 68-year-old actor-politician is now recovering. She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma last year. The disease had spread to her left arm and right shoulder.

The actor's husband however said in his statement that Kirron Kher is well on her way to recovery. "We are very blessed that she is being looked after by a phenomenal set of doctors. She's always been a fighter and takes things head on," he further said in his statement.

2. Sonali Bendre

In 2018, actor Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with 'metastatic cancer'. She left the shooting of the reality show India’s Best Dramebaaz mid-wayand went to the US for treatment. "Sometimes, when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with a high grade cancer that has metastised, which we frankly did not see coming. A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis," the actor wrote in a social media post. She further added that her family and close friends were rallying around her. " I am very blessed and thankful for each one of them," she wrote in her post.

3. Tahira Kashyap

Filmmaker Tahira Kashyap, who is married to actor Ayushmann Khurrana was diagnosed with with "stage 0" breast cancer in 2018. She had to undergo a mastectomy procedure. In February this year, Kashyap penned a poem about her fight with cancer and shared it with her followers on social media.

"Hide not your scars my love, show them, flaunt them, just like your bright smile, soothing to other eyes. And when you do that time and again giving people nowhere to run and hide, They will have to fall in love with your badge of honour, your prize," she was heard reciting in a video that Kashyap shared on Instagram.

4. Manisha Koirala

Manisha Koirala won the battle against ovarian cancer with which she was diagnosed in 2012. She also wrote a book titled Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life, chronicling her battle with the disease. The book opens with the sentence "I don't want to die." The book not only reveals Koirala's journey through cancer but also throws light on how a change in mindset is needed at the hour. Koirala resumed working in movies after her fight with cancer, and was seen in films like Dear Maya, Lust Stories and Sanju etc.

5. Lisa Ray

In 2009, Lisa Ray was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma cancer. She battled with it for a year and was subsequently declared cancer-free. Ray went on to pen a memoir Close to the Bone in 2019. Prior to that, she had been chronicling her journey as a cancer patient in a blog called The Yellow Diary.