Today in this feature series, let’s take a look at this brave and beautiful love story of ‘The Family Man’ actor Sharib Hashmi and his wife Nasreen Hashmi. Not only has the couple been together for over two decades and have two children, but he also battled a long health battle with cancer. Learn more about their resilience and love for each other.
Who is Nasreen Hashmi?
Sharib married Nasreen Hashmi On 27 December 2003. The couple has 2 children, a girl and a boy. Nasreen was reportedly first diagnosed with oral cancer in 2018 and has survived the disease 4 times. She had to undergo multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and around 60 radiation sessions to fight cancer and she did all this while supporting her partner – Sharib during his struggling days in the showbiz world.
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About Nasreen’s oral cancer journey
TOI cited his old interview with Siddharth Kannan, where Sharib Hashmi opened up about his wife’s illness and the tough times ahead. “I don’t know what to call it…it’s a divine mystery, but when he was diagnosed and had the operation, I started getting work. I got The Family Man and Asur After that,” he shared, adding, “My career was going well, but she was battling cancer.”
Sharib shared how it all started in 2018 and how the initial symptoms of oral cancer appeared as small sores which later turned into white or red spots, thickening of the mouth which did not heal. Many people don’t pay attention to these early symptoms, however, Nasreen’s diagnosis was ‘very difficult’, the actor said. He shared in the interview how he struggled between managing tests, biopsies, scans, finances and children at home.
He explained that the primary treatment for Nasreen was surgical removal of the tumor, which could be followed by chemotherapy or radiation depending on the spread and stage of the tumor.
Sharib praised his wife’s strong will and described how each of her operations was an ordeal for the family, yet she came back within 3-5 days every time, “I have never seen someone so strong-willed,” he said.
Surgical treatment of oral cancer is challenging for the patient as it can involve many physical changes, yet the actor’s wife showed strong willpower and achieved success every time.
He said, “It was my wife Nasreen who supported me and stood by me. She told me, ‘If this is what you want to do in life, I am with you.’ He left his job after the birth of our son. But when all our savings were gone, she was the one who took up a job again to support the family. She was juggling her job and family. Salute to him.”
When Sharib left work
In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, Sharib shared that he left the job when he was rejected after finalizing a role in Dhobi Ghat. He further added, “My wife supported me a lot during those times of struggle. She sold her jewelery so that we could arrange food at home. We also sold our house to meet our expenses. I started losing hope over time. There was a time when I was not sure what I would feed my family for the next meal. She sold all her jewelery so that I could pursue my acting ambitions without worrying about putting food on the table. Eventually, we Had to sell my house too. But I didn’t give up.”
Sharib and Nasreen’s story is a strong reminder of how ‘faith can move mountains’ if your will to survive and love is strong.
Salute to them!