Mumbai: Author-filmmaker Tahira Kashyap has once again found herself face-to-face with breast cancer, a diagnosis she revealed on Monday - the World Health Day - in a deeply personal and powerfully written social media post.
Tahira shared that this is the second time she is battling the disease, having previously overcome breast cancer in 2018.
However, rather than allowing fear to take the front seat, Tahira chose her signature blend of honesty and light-heartedness to break the news.
"Round 2 for me… I still got this," she wrote, urging women to prioritise regular health screenings and mammograms. Her post read: '“Seven-year itch or the power of regular screening – it’s a perspective. I’d like to go with the latter.”'
What followed was a flood of love and support from fans, friends and the film fraternity. But perhaps the most touching response came from her husband, actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who commented simply, “My hero,” followed by a heart and teary-eyed emoji—a short but powerful statement of solidarity and love.
In her caption, Tahira didn’t shy away from addressing the reality of her diagnosis, but she did it with a sense of grounded optimism.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. When life becomes too generous and throws them again at you, you squeeze them calmly into your favourite kala khatta drink and sip it with all the good intentions,” she wrote. Her message —layered with humour, realism, and determination —resonated deeply with her followers.
The timing of her announcement, coinciding with World Health Day, underscored the importance of her message.
"Let’s do whatever we can in our capacity to take care of ourselves," she added, along with hashtags like #regularscreening, #breastcancer, and #letsgo.
Tahira’s first cancer diagnosis came in 2018, when she was found to have stage 0 breast ductal carcinoma in situ.
She underwent a mastectomy and, ever since, has used her voice to raise awareness around breast cancer and the importance of early detection.
Ayushmann has always stood by Tahira. On World Cancer Day last year, he recalled their early days at Panjab University with a heartfelt message. “The girl I pulled by having samosa and chai at hut number 14… in love with your heart and spirit,” he had written, cheering her on as she took to the stage at a spoken word festival.
