Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s Sana Saeed went through bulimia for 6 years, took 4 years to recover | Bollywood News

Sana Saeed, best remembered for playing Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter in the 1998 film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, recently revealed that she battled the eating disorder, bulimia, from a young age, admitting that she spent years suffering in silence because she did not know she was suffering from a disorder. In a new interview, Sana opened up about her recovery, stressing the importance of awareness and reflecting on how societal expectations around body image defined her struggle.
‘I carried so much shame around it’
Recalling the years before she was diagnosed, Sana said she believed her condition was simply a “bad habit” she had to overcome on her own. In a chat with Hindustan Times, she shared, “What it looked like to me was a bad habit I’d developed, something I had to figure out alone. I carried so much shame around it, thinking I was the only one dealing with this. For six years, I had no name for what I was going through. I was desperate to get better and find a healthy way to eat and eventually, I came across a book on recovery that gave me the language for what I was actually dealing with. That’s when the real healing began, and it took four years to recover completely.”
Looking back, Sana said her recovery could have begun much sooner had she known what she was experiencing.  “Now that I’m healed, it matters to me deeply that if my story helps even one person feel less alone in theirs, that’s worth more than the discomfort of being vulnerable in public.” She also said she does not blame any individual or moment for what happened. “I don’t look back at any one moment or person with blame. I look back at a young woman who didn’t yet have the tools to separate how she looked from who she was, in an environment that made that separation harder than it needed to be. It was the slow realisation that I was spending all my energy managing something instead of living my life.”
‘Couldn’t imagine my future living with the disorder’
Sana further shared that the turning point in her recovery came when she began thinking about the future she wanted for herself. “The real turning point came when my reason for healing got bigger and I couldn’t imagine my future living with the disorder. I remember telling myself that if I got married, I’d never actually enjoy a date with my husband if I was busy worrying about food. That if I ever had children, I never wanted to pass this on. If any of that was going to be my future, I had to heal first.”
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During the interview, the actor also reflected on the intense pressure surrounding body image, saying it extends far beyond the entertainment industry. “I remember being in college and noticing all my friends around me dieting, trying to lose weight, talking about their changing bodies. That was the era of size zero when skinny was in, when there were ten different diets available on Google and everyone I knew was running on a treadmill. Becoming aware of your changing body as a young woman is completely natural, but health, nutrition, and building strength for the long run weren’t topics I grew up around. My world complimented weight loss and nothing else, not how you felt, not whether you’d gone hungry all day to look a certain way. I think the industry just amplifies something a lot of us already carry. Being on camera, being commented on, having your appearance be part of the job description.”

‘I am fully recovered’
A week ago, Sana had shared a note on Instagram alongside a clip, revealing that she spent years unaware that she had an eating disorder. “I didn’t know I had an eating disorder for years. Not because I wasn’t suffering, but because I had never heard the words. Growing up, nobody talked about it. There was no language for what I was going through, so I carried it silently and alone for a long time. When I finally read about bulimia, I understood for the first time what was happening to me. And even then, the shame of admitting it, even just to myself, took years to move through.”
Sharing an update on where she is today, the actor wrote: “I am fully recovered and I have never felt more at home in my body or my life. If you are struggling, please reach out to someone you trust or look for eating disorder support in your region. You deserve real help from someone qualified to give it.”Story continues below this ad
About Sana Saeed
Sana Saeed began her acting career as a child art with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, before appearing in films such as Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, and Badal. She later featured in television shows including Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na and Lo Ho Gayi Pooja Iss Ghar Ki. She made her return to the big screen as an adult in Student of the Year. Sana is now based in Los Angeles, where she runs a production company with her husband, Csaba Wagner.
DISCLAIMER: This article contains personal reflections on eating disorder recovery (bulimia). It is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional with any questions regarding health conditions.
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