Fatima Sheikh Sana has openly spoken about her life with epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterised by recurring seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. In a recent interaction, Vijay Varma, who stars with Fatima in Manish Malhotra’s upcoming film Gustaakh Ishq, spoke about witnessing Fatima getting a seizure on the set of the film and how he felt “helpless” at that moment.
Speaking to Mashable India, Vijay said, “When we were shooting, I think she got to know that something is happening to her. So she had warned me and 2-3 team members beforehand, and she had given us a guidelines of what to do when she gets a seizure. I thought is she saying this to scare us.”
Vijay recalled the moment Fatima got the seizure and how he helped her. “Around pack-up time during late night and I was sitting outside and reading a book between takes and I heard something, and by that time, she had gotten a seizure. I felt so vulnerable and helpless. But then I recalled all the things that she had told me. We emptied out a bed on the shoot and made her lie down and asked people to give her space. I just kept my hand on her head and sat near her. We waited for the seizure to pass. Then we took her to the hotel in the car. When she came to the hotel, she was awake, but she didn’t recall everything.”
Fatima shared why she doesn’t recall anything when she has a seizure. “When you get a proper seizure, at that time, you don’t know what is happening. It’s a proper wipe out. Many times, even when you are getting the seizure, many people think iska toh natak hai (she’s being dramatic). Because there is no awareness about it,” she said.
Vijay admitted that seeing Fatima go through such a vulnerable time made him feel connected to her. “I felt so protective of her, and I think I found a new kind of a bond with her because she went through a very vulnerable and helpless stage with me, and maybe that’s why we have this kind of a friendship,” he said.
Gustaakh Ishq is directed by Vibhu Puri and also stars Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi in pivotal roles. The film will release on November 28.
