Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh has spoken candidly about her struggle with disordered eating following her physical transformation for Dangal. In a recent appearance on the Chapter 2 with Rhea Chakraborty podcast, she reflected on the mental and emotional challenges that followed the film.
For Dangal, Fatima underwent an intense training routine, working out for nearly three hours daily while following a calorie-heavy diet to gain weight for her role. She shared that she consumed between 2,500 and 3,000 calories per day as part of the preparation process.
Describing her mindset at the time, she said, “When I am goal-oriented, I will do everything.” The structured routine and athlete-like discipline helped her stay focused during filming. However, once the shoot wrapped, the framework that supported her transformation disappeared.
“The structure went away, but the hunger didn’t,” she explained.
When Discipline Turned Into Extremes
Fatima revealed that her eating patterns began to shift after the film. Without the rigorous training schedule, the balance she had maintained started to unravel. What began as habit changes slowly developed into a deeper struggle.
“I could eat for two hours non-stop. I have two extremes. If I am not holistic, I go towards extremes,” she admitted.
She described falling into cycles of binge eating followed by guilt and restriction. At one point, she became fixated on calorie calculations and attempting to “undo” what she had eaten. Reflecting on that period, she said the issue was not the food itself, but the emotional triggers behind it.
“The problem is not in the food. It’s in you because you’re feeling insecure. You’re eating your feelings,” she noted.
“I Felt I Had Absolutely No Control”
In one of the most vulnerable moments of the conversation, Fatima shared that she struggled with bulimia for nearly a year. She described feeling trapped in a rigid and unhealthy understanding of dieting.
“I felt I had absolutely no control. My understanding of diet was so strict,” she said.
While there were physical consequences, including health discomfort, she emphasised that the psychological impact was far more severe. Outwardly, she appeared fit and disciplined. Internally, she felt overwhelmed and disconnected.
A turning point came when a close friend gently addressed her behaviour without judgement. The reassurance she received stayed with her.
“She told me, ‘You can eat. You can be full,’” Fatima recalled.
Today, the actor speaks about the experience with clarity, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and emotional well-being over appearance or rigid standards.
Recent Work
On the professional front, Fatima Sana Shaikh was last seen in Netflix’s Aap Jaisa Koi alongside R. Madhavan.
