Veteran actor Shagufta Ali has never shied away from talking about the toughest phase of her life. This includes battling stage three breast cancer and facing financial strain due to both her own health issues and her father’s. She says she handled all of it entirely on her own, without turning to anyone for help. She has also been forthright about the criticism she faced regarding her financial troubles.
Shagufta Ali on why she hid her diagnosis
Speaking with Siddharth Kannan, the actor explained her reasoning for keeping her diagnosis under wraps. Shagufta shared that she hid her stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis out of fear it would hurt her career, adding that the industry’s mindset back then made her feel she had no other option. When asked why she stayed silent about it, Shagufta responded, “Uss zamaane mein uss cheez ko ye kaha jaata tha ki nahi nahi nahi nahi nahi, batana nahi batana. Bilkul don’t talk about it and don’t speak about it. Nahi toh kaam milna. Phir wahi darr, dara diya ki kaam nahi milega. Phir industry waale aisa karne lagte hain, aisa behave karte hain, aisa behave karte hain. Toh nahi bataya tha maine (Translation: Back then, the prevailing attitude was—no, no, no—you simply couldn’t talk about it. You absolutely weren’t supposed to mention it; otherwise, you wouldn’t get work. There was that fear—the threat that work would dry up. People in the industry would start acting or behaving in certain ways. So, I didn’t say anything.)”
Shagufta Ali on selling her jewellery and car to survive
During that difficult stretch, she revealed she had to part with her jewellery and car to get by, though she was quick to clarify that her house was never on the line. Even now, she doesn’t mind commuting by auto rickshaw, whether it’s for work or medical appointments. She also addressed the criticism she received over having no savings left. “When I started facing difficulties from 2017 onwards, people began questioning me, saying, ‘Didn’t you have any savings?’ Of course I did. I had plenty of savings, and that’s exactly what I used all these years. I’m not an Ambani, Tata or Adani, am I? It’s not like my money would never run out. How much savings do you think I could possibly have? I’m a television actor. I’m the only earning member in my house. Those savings had to cover illnesses, everyday expenses, groceries, maintaining the household, everything.”
Shagufta Ali on being questioned over her spending
What puzzled her most was why people got so bothered by her refusal to seek help and why her personal savings were any of their concern in the first place. She pointed out that she wasn’t blowing her money on nightclubs, heavy drinking, an extravagant lifestyle, or partying. What bothered her even more was constantly having to justify her spending to others, and she questioned why it was even an issue. Addressing the repeated questions about where her savings went, she clarified that it had all gone toward her medical expenses.
Shagufta Ali steps away from her upcoming TV show
Shagufta Ali, who was set to appear in a popular TV show, is no longer attached to the project. She had originally been cast as Aaditya Gupta‘s grandmother but was forced to step away due to health complications.
