Sunaina Roshan, sister of Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan and daughter of veteran actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, has never shied away from speaking about her health challenges. From being diagnosed with lymphoma of the cervix in 2007 to battling fatty liver disease (grade 3) and a severe case of jaundice in 2023, she has faced it all.
“The health scares I have faced have all been a matter of life and death; nothing normal has happened to me,” Sunaina told Mid-day, adding a touch of humor to her difficult journey. Despite undergoing intense chemotherapy, she remained mentally strong. However, one moment in particular broke her. “During the chemotherapy, I was pretty strong mentally. I knew what I had to do, but I think it really dawned on me when I had my last chemotherapy session. The doctor said that it would take another 10 minutes. Sussanne (Khan) was next to me and said something to the effect of it being my last chemotherapy and that I will be free—that broke me and I started howling,” she recalled.
Sunaina has since become a vocal advocate for women’s health, often using social media to encourage early diagnosis and better self-care. “I was bleeding heavily during my periods in the last two months before I got diagnosed with cancer. It was my mother (Pinky Roshan) who insisted that I should go to the doctor and get checked. She and, in fact, all my family were my support systems throughout my health journey,” she said.
Her battle with jaundice in 2023 was the turning point that made her rethink her lifestyle. “Ab bas ho gaya,” she admitted, explaining how she decided to speak about her health struggles publicly to inspire others. She focused on healing through nutrition, saying, “With my other health challenges, I always had medication, therapy, etc., but for jaundice, I couldn’t take anything lest it overwhelm my already weak system. So I had to rely on my body completely to recover, and that really changed the way I eat; I went for a complete gut reset.”
Through her journey, Sunaina has emerged not just as a fighter but as a source of inspiration for many, proving that resilience and the right support system can make all the difference.