Rhea Chakraborty’s latest chapter of her podcast featured a deeply personal and emotional conversation with Fatima Sana Shaikh, bringing attention to the realities of living with epilepsy. The episode offered an intimate space where both women spoke candidly about health, stigma, and moments that often go unnoticed in the lives of those battling neurological conditions. This new chapter stood out for its sensitivity, honesty, and the effort to create awareness about an issue still surrounded by misconceptions.
In the episode, Rhea recalled a moment that highlighted the gravity of Fatima’s condition. "You have spoken about and even been very vocal about epilepsy. And I got a moment with you, where you had come for the Chapter 2 event. The first event. There were so many lights, and suddenly you felt dizzy and saw orbs. And I took you to the side, and then we had to send you home. I didn't realise how difficult it was. Epilepsy is really a difficult thing in daily life. I thought that you get episodes, and then you heal, and then those few days you can't work," said Rhea Chakraborty in her new chapter of the podcast.
Fatima opened up about her journey with the condition, revealing the emotional and social challenges attached to it. "Everything about me is controlled. I have also learned. Because initially, when I found out that I have epilepsy, I was like I am the only one having medication. Why? Nothing is wrong with me. I'm not crazy. Why are you giving me crazy medicine? Because that's the association. That's all the conditioning we heard for ages. People think that if we have epilepsy, then the goddess has come into us, or I have been possessed by a ghost, or I have taken some drugs or attention seeking. Another thing is that people think this person is an attention seeker. This person is always seeking attention by doing this. And I don't feel bad for myself, I feel bad for them. They don't understand, or don't have the empathy to try and understand that there can be a genuine condition like that. Any neurological disorder is not obvious, like a cast on your hand, or a lame leg. People don't know that you're dealing with something. Your are seeing that I am normal, laughing, playing, dancing, working, doing everything. There will be an off day where I will get an episode."
The episode closed on a note of compassion and awareness, with both Rhea and Fatima reinforcing the importance of empathy and understanding. Their conversation served as a powerful reminder that invisible illnesses require visible sensitivity, making this podcast chapter an important step toward breaking myths and normalizing discussions around epilepsy.