The young Anjali from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Sana Saeed, now runs her own production company in the US. However, starting a new life from scratch in Los Angeles wasn't easy for the actress. Sana recently opened up about battling Bulimia, an eating disorder, revealing that for years she did not even know what she was going through. "For six years I had no name for what I was going through," she shared.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Bulimia nervosa is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by behaviours aimed at preventing weight gain. People with Bulimia often feel they have little or no control over their eating during these episodes.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Sana elaborated on her struggle, saying, "For six years I had no name for what I was going through." The actress revealed that she carried a lot of "shame" around her condition and believed she was the only one experiencing it. She admitted that for six years, she did not understand what she was dealing with. Recalling her journey towards recovery, Sana said, "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."
The Student of the Year actress shared that it took her four years to fully recover from Bulimia. Reflecting on why she chose to speak publicly now, she said, "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."
Sana also spoke about the pressure to lose weight in the entertainment industry. She recalled that during her college days, conversations often revolved around dieting and weight loss. "Being on camera, being commented on, having your appearance be part of the job description," she said, explaining how such constant scrutiny can turn a person's otherwise normal relationship with their body into a complicated one. Looking back, Sana admitted that she did not have the emotional tools at the time to separate her self-worth from her appearance.
