Rakesh Roshan on Sunaina's cancer battle: 'I had tears but smiled for her'
Synopsis
Behind the smiles were silent tears — on both sides. Rakesh Roshan has revealed he privately broke down during daughter Sunaina's cancer battle, while Sunaina confesses she did the same when he fought throat cancer in 2018. Their candid exchange exposes the quiet emotional labour families carry through illness, and why neither told the other until now.
Key Takeaways
Rakesh Roshan revealed he silently wept during daughter Sunaina Roshan's cancer battle, while always smiling in her presence.
Sunaina disclosed — for the first time — that she mirrored the same behaviour during her father's throat cancer fight in 2018 , sobbing alone but laughing in front of him.
Sunaina Roshan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007 and has also battled fatty liver disease and other health complications.
Rakesh Roshan was diagnosed with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the throat in 2018 and recovered after surgery.
The conversation was shared by Sunaina on her social media, marking the first time the duo publicly discussed these private emotional moments.
Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has opened up about the emotional toll of watching his daughter Sunaina Roshan fight cancer, fatty liver disease, and other serious health challenges, revealing that he silently wept in private while maintaining a composed, encouraging front in her presence.
A Father's Hidden Grief
In a candid conversation shared by Sunaina on her social media, the father-daughter duo reflected on how they supported each other through some of the most gruelling periods of their lives. When Sunaina asked her father what was going through his mind during the worst of her illness, Rakesh did not hold back.
'It's not been once, it has been many times. I used to pray silently. I did have tears in my eyes sometimes, but then I had a different front when I used to come to you to meet you. I used to be smiling always and giving you courage,' he said.
Sunaina's Own Confession
Sunaina responded with a revelation of her own — that she had mirrored the exact same behaviour when her father battled cancer. 'I think I have got that strong mindset from you, how to fight everything. And I think I did the same thing when you had cancer. I was very courageous, smiling in front of you. But in my room, I used to sob and sob. I remember there were days, I would actually go to the mirror, start laughing by myself and in that way come and face you. I think I never told you this before. It's the first time I'm telling you that,' she revealed.
The exchange underscored a quiet, unspoken pact between the two — each shielding the other from the full weight of their own fear.
Rakesh Roshan on the Power of Positivity
Reacting to his daughter's confession, Rakesh reflected on why projecting strength during a loved one's illness matters. 'Good, that's the way because you do feel sorry when some family member, their children or any member in the family who are very close to you is not doing well health wise. But then by keeping a positive attitude, by smiling in front of them, giving them more strength at that time always has a good result,' he said.
Sunaina concluded the conversation on a note of self-reliance: 'But that strength actually has to come from within yourself. Yes, I am going to fight it. Yes, I'm going to overcome this.'
Their Health Battles in Context
Sunaina Roshan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007 and successfully overcame the disease. She has also spoken publicly about battling fatty liver disease and other health complications over the years.
Rakesh Roshan himself faced a cancer diagnosis in 2018, when he was found to have early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the throat. He underwent surgery and recovered successfully. The shared experience of illness — each watching the other fight — lends the conversation a rare, mutual depth that goes beyond a typical celebrity disclosure.
Point of View
A daughter hiding hers from a sick father, neither knowing the other was doing the same. That mutual concealment is a near-universal family experience with serious illness, and it rarely surfaces in public discourse. The Roshans naming it openly gives the story a resonance that outlasts the news cycle. The more interesting editorial question is why it took a social media post — rather than, say, a mental health platform or a caregiver advocacy campaign — to surface it. Celebrity disclosure is a powerful but underused tool for normalising the emotional burden of caregiving in India.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Rakesh Roshan reveal about Sunaina's cancer battle?
Rakesh Roshan revealed that he often broke down in private while watching his daughter Sunaina battle cancer and other health challenges, but always maintained a smiling, encouraging front in her presence. He said he prayed silently and kept his tears hidden to give her courage.
What did Sunaina Roshan confess to her father?
Sunaina Roshan revealed, for the first time, that she had done the same when her father battled throat cancer in 2018 — sobbing alone in her room but putting on a brave, smiling face in front of him. She said she would even go to a mirror and force herself to laugh before meeting him.
When was Sunaina Roshan diagnosed with cancer?
Sunaina Roshan was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007 and successfully overcame the disease. She has also spoken publicly about battling fatty liver disease and other health complications over the years.
When did Rakesh Roshan have cancer and did he recover?
Rakesh Roshan was diagnosed with early-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the throat in 2018. He underwent surgery and recovered successfully.
Where was the father-daughter conversation shared?
The conversation between Rakesh Roshan and Sunaina Roshan was shared by Sunaina on her social media. It marks the first time the two have publicly discussed these private emotional moments from their respective health battles.
