“Everyone’s starting point is different. How fast you run is on you.”
For Fatima Sana Shaikh that starting point was as a child actor in Chachi 420, but what followed was far from a fairy tale. From early rejection to global fame with Dangal, to battling epilepsy and industry bias — this is Fatima like you’ve never seen her before. Unfiltered, fearless, and deeply human.
In this deeply personal conversation, Fatima talks about everything she has never spoken on record – the loneliness after Dangal, being told she’s not bollywood material to be a heroine, the truth about casting couch, why Bollywood doesn’t value side actors, and what it really means palmeiras to start over in an industry that forgets you after one flop.
We speak about:
. Her earliest memories from Chachi 420 & fangirling over SRK
. The brutal Dangal audition & her complete physical transformation
. Aamir Khan’s process, China’s obsession with Dangal & what success cost.
. Working with Anurag Basu, Anil Kapoor & Manoj Bajpayee
. Fatima Sana Shaikh X Sanya Malhotra
. About Metro In Dino
. Insecurities, unfair treatment & surviving oil price supply shortages a system that boxes women
. Her epilepsy diagnosis and how it changed her forever
. What love means to her today
This episode is about more than just films.
It’s about rewriting your story — even if you’re the only one who believes in it.
It’s about not giving up on the dream just because someone else couldn’t see it.
And above all, it’s about running your race — no matter how far behind you feel.
Let this be a reminder: You’re allowed to take your time. You’re allowed to begin again.
Fatima’s story isn’t just hers — it’s for anyone who’s ever felt overlooked, underestimated, or told they weren’t enough.
Watch this special episode. And share it with someone who needs to hear it.
#FatimaSanaShaikh #Podcast #HumansOfBombay
Time Stamps
00:00 - Precap
02:39 - Introduction
02:47 - Metro In Dino promotions
05:11 - Who is very chill in the Metro in the Dino cast?
05:44 - Did she get to interact with the entire Metro in Dino cast?
06:31 - How does Anurag Basu work?
08:14 - Types of directors
09:00 - How can a set be your film school?
11:25 - How every actor has a process
12:22 - How fun is Anil Kapoor on set?
13:28 - Who is Fatima’s current important person?
14:39 - How are women pit against each other in Bollywood?
16:08 - Secure Vs Insecure actors
16:46 - Which actors are secure?
18:14 - On Chachi 420
20:08 - Her love for Shahrukh Khan
21:13 - Dangal’s audition process
22:35 - Physical test for Dangal
23:21 - Losing femininity during Dangal
24:51 - Aamir hunting hills Khan’s process
26:19 - Dangal’s massive success in China
27:13 - Khans are the last superstars in Bollywood
28:41 - Paparazzi Culture
30:33 - PR strategies
31:38 - Pairing Actors in Bollywood
33:29 - Does it affect her?
34:26 - Beginning again after Dangal
38:58 - Pawna Lake Experience
40:00 - How is the world unfair for most?
41:27 - On parents
42:56 - How Anil Kapoor taught her socialising!
43:43 - Beauty standards in Bollywood
45:14 - On Sushmita Sen
46:45 - Dealing with flop films
48:42 - Is OTT a glimmer of hope?
49:27 - Dark Side of the industry
53:54 - Side actors are treated as 2nd grade
55:58 - Safety is being compromised in the name of art?
57:32 - Gender pay parity
59:19 - Fatima’s take on love
01:00:48 - Epilepsy
01:03:50 - Confessions with Fatima
01:07:22 - Fatima’s real truth
01:09:21 - How she started her photography journey because of Humans of Bombay
01:10:26 - End
Links:
Humans of Bombay
Instagram:
Uncovered by Humans of Bombay:
LinkedIn:
Fatima Sana Shaikh
Instagram:
Anant Kaushik
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About Humans of Bombay –
Humans of Bombay is a movement that started 11 years ago. We believe that every person has a story to tell and we want to help them tell these stories. In these years we’ve published stories across genres – stories of love, hope, faith, and courage. And through our storytelling, we’ve built an engaged community of over 6M!
Our idea is simple – to strike a chord with our community and catalog the beat of humanity, one story at a time.
