Former Miss India, who played Amitabh Bachchan’s wife, was diagnosed with cancer twice, took Rs 5 from doctor who misdiagnosed her: ‘It’s stage 4 now’

Despite visiting multiple doctors, she was repeatedly told it was nothing serious—some even prescribed antibiotics. “I went back to the radiologist and pleaded with him to recheck my scan. I started crying and said, ‘I know something is wrong with me.'”

Eventually, doctors suggested she had tuberculosis. Nafisa wasn’t convinced. She demanded a PET scan, and before the test, jokingly placed a bet with her doctors. “When the reports came in, they had no words. I had bet them it wasn’t TB—I took Rs 5 from each of them. They were upset, but I told them, ‘It’s okay. I’ll beat this.’”

The misdiagnosis and confusion deeply impacted Nafisa, pushing her to become an advocate for cancer awareness and patient empowerment. “There are cancer marker tests available—ask your doctors about them. Don’t blindly spend money without understanding your options. A biopsy is one of the worst things if not done properly. The moment they pierced the tumor with a needle, the cancer spread. That’s how I reached stage 3,” she said.

She particularly emphasised the CA 125 test, which costs around Rs 1,200 and can help detect cancer early. “No one suggested it to me. Instead, they sent me for a PET scan costing Rs 25,000. That’s why I now speak publicly about it. People should insist on these marker tests if they feel something’s wrong. Don’t be a fool like I was.”

Nafisa remembers the moment she was told the cancer had spread.

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“I laughed. The doctors told me it had reached everywhere because of the delay. I said, ‘It’s okay, I’ll fight it.’ Then I was in stage 3, and now it’s stage 4,” she said.

Initially, she was in denial. “It was only after my first chemotherapy session—12 days later—when I ran my hand through my hair and a whole chunk came out, that I truly accepted it. I cried and said, ‘I actually have cancer now.’ That moment made it real.”

Seven years after battling stage 3 cancer, Nafisa was diagnosed again—this time, with stage 4 cancer that had spread to her abdomen. “I had just returned from Australia. A relapse was detected three years ago and treated, but after a routine PET scan, they told me it was stage 4. It’s not operable. They said, ‘Let’s try chemo.’ I am just praying for inner strength.”

Nafisa spoke candidly about the harsh realities of chemotherapy. “It’s a very toxic process. I hate it. But I take it. I talk to my body and tell it to enjoy the journey—to let the cancer be attacked and depleted. It’s not a joy in anyone’s life.”

Despite her diagnosis, Nafisa remains grounded and spiritual. She’s preparing her family for life without her. “My nephew once visited a medium who connected with my late brother-in-law and father-in-law. They seemed to be in a very happy place. That gave me peace. Maybe there’s a new world out there—maybe we’ll all party again with old friends and loved ones we miss.”

Although she continues to fight, she does have one lingering regret: “If there’s anything I wish I had done, it’s to be in Parliament—to serve my country with the strength and conviction I know I have. India needs that kind of fight.”

Nafisa marked her film debut with the film Junoon (1979). She was last seen opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Uunchai.

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