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Cricketer-turned-actor Salil Ankola went through a rough patch after his cricket career ended in the late 1990s. Salil turned to acting in various television shows like Kehta Hai Dil, Kora Kagaz, Vikraal Aur Gabraal among others, but behind the scenes, Salil was struggling with alcoholism. In a new interview, Salil opened up about this chapter of his life and shared that he started drinking after he stopped playing cricket in 1997.
Salil was in conversation with Vickey Lalwani on his YouTube channel as he shared that he was turning into an alcoholic then, and would just drink by himself. “I didn’t choose to drink how much I drank, it happened over the years,” he said and shared that he even stopped watching cricket from 1999-2011 as it would bring up old wounds. When asked how much he drank during the worst phases, he said, “If I was up for 24 hours, then I would be drinking for 24 hours. That was my way of escapism,” he said.
When asked if his friends and family members helped him get away from alcohol, he said, “They tried to stop me, but then it’s up to an individual. Maybe I was not ready to stop then.” Salil shared that over the years, he went to many rehab centres, and tried to give up drinking, but it wasn’t working out for him. “I have been to many rehabs, tried to give up alcohol many times, but it wasn’t happening, despite my wanting to,” he said and recollected that he actually watched the semi-final and final of the 2011 cricket World Cup at rehab, which was his first time watching cricket in over a decade.
Talking about alcoholism, he shared, “People think this is a habit, that people do it for fun. It’s not a habit, it is a disease.” He added, “God has been kind. I shouldn’t have been alive. I would have been dead in 2014 itself. I was in ICCU, 3 times given up for dead.” He added that he was admitted to ICCU on 12 occasions because of his drinking.
Salil Ankola shared that he could get rid of his addiction after he met his second wife. He shared that they met through Facebook, and since she was a doctor who understood the toll the disease was taking on his mind and body, she could help him navigate through it.
Salil has gotten back to acting and has appeared in a few supporting roles in television and films. He was last seen in a Tamil film called Pambattam.
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