Emraan Hashmi Breaks Silence for the First Time on Son’s Battle with Cancer

Mumbai :  Known for his powerful performances and a string of Bollywood hits, Emraan Hashmi once enjoyed a golden phase in his acting career. However, like many glittering stars, he too faced one of life’s most heart-wrenching challenges. At the peak of his career, while enjoying a happy family life, he was shaken to the core by devastating news—his son, just three years old at the time, was diagnosed with cancer. After years of silently carrying the pain, Emraan has finally opened up about this difficult chapter in his life.

Recently appearing on a podcast, Emraan candidly spoke about the emotional turmoil he went through during his son Ayaan’s illness. He said,

“The most difficult time in my life was in 2014, when my son fell ill. Words can’t express what we went through. We battled for five years, and in that time, I learned a lot. In January 2014, my son got sick and our family was in complete shock. That moment changed my life forever. On January 13, we were having pizza at the Taj Hotel with our son. He went to the washroom with my wife, and she noticed blood in his urine—that was the first sign. Within three hours, we were in a doctor’s clinic, being told that our son had cancer and needed surgery the next day, followed by chemotherapy. In those 12 hours, our entire world turned upside down. He was only 3 years and 11 months old. This type of cancer typically affects children under four.”

Emraan further shared,

“When we found out, we couldn’t even cry in front of him—we had to consider his mental well-being too. There was only one day when our entire family broke down in tears. After that, we tried to stay hopeful. The treatment involved six months of chemotherapy and then five years of follow-up care to prevent a relapse. Every three months, we had to do tests. I even wrote a book about this journey. I kept asking, ‘Why is this happening to us?’ I was angry. But as a parent, you can’t sit back. So I educated myself about cancer. I read everything I could. Even doctors would ask me how I knew so much. I had learned everything about that cancer and its treatment.”

Emraan’s story is not just one of survival, but also of resilience, love, and the strength of a father’s determination. His openness now serves as a source of inspiration and awareness for many others going through similar struggles.