Sana Saeed opens up about battle with bulimia, says recovery changed her life

Mumbai: Actress Sana Saeed has shared her deeply personal journey of overcoming bulimia, revealing that she lived with the eating disorder for years before she even understood what she was experiencing.

In an emotional video posted on social media, Sana spoke about the fear, shame and confusion that surrounded her relationship with food while growing up. She said she had never heard of bulimia as a child, which made it difficult to recognise and accept what she was going through.

Recalling those years, Sana said she often felt anxious about eating and worried about being judged by others. She admitted that when she first read about bulimia, she initially refused to believe it applied to her because accepting the diagnosis felt overwhelming.

"I remember telling myself, 'Okay, it's some sort of an eating disorder. But it's not this,' because it was so difficult for me to admit to myself that I had bulimia. I never heard about it growing up. I wish I'd heard about it, so I would have gone straight to the problem," she said.

Along with the video, the actress shared a heartfelt note explaining that the lack of awareness about eating disorders left her struggling in silence for years.

She wrote that she did not know she had an eating disorder because she had never been introduced to the language or understanding needed to identify it. When she finally learned about bulimia, she said it gave a name to what she had been experiencing, although overcoming the shame of accepting it took much longer.

Sana said she decided to speak publicly about her experience in the hope that others facing similar challenges would realise they are not alone and that help is available.

Sharing an encouraging update, she revealed that she has now fully recovered and feels more comfortable in her body and life than ever before. She also urged anyone struggling with an eating disorder to seek support from trusted people or qualified mental health and healthcare professionals.

Sana Saeed began her acting career as a child artist and became widely known for playing Anjali, the daughter of Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji's characters in the blockbuster film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She later appeared in films including Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Badal, before returning to the big screen as an adult in Karan Johar's Student of the Year (2012).

She has also participated in reality television shows such as Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Nach Baliye and Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi.

On the personal front, Sana got engaged to entrepreneur Csaba Wagner in Paris in December 2023, and the couple married in an intimate ceremony in Goa in January 2025. She is currently based in the United States.

WIth inputs from IANS