For years, Emraan Hashmi ruled Bollywood’s charts and box office alike. Known for hits like Zeher, Awarapan, and Jannat, he was once one of the industry’s most bankable stars. But at the peak of his career, Emraan made the unexpected decision to step away from the limelight — not for lack of success, but for something far more personal. A single afternoon in 2014 changed his life forever.
Emraan opened up about the devastating moment he learned that his young son, Ayaan, had been diagnosed with Wilms’ Tumour, a rare form of kidney cancer. What began as a normal family outing quickly turned into a nightmare no parent ever imagines.
“On January 13, 2014, we had gone for brunch,” Emraan recalled. “We were eating pizza with my son when the first symptom appeared. He passed blood in his urine. Within three hours, we were in a doctor’s clinic. The doctor told us our son had cancer. He needed surgery the very next day, followed by chemotherapy.”
The actor described how his world collapsed in a matter of hours. “My entire life flipped within 12 hours,” he said. Calling it the most difficult phase of his life, Emraan admitted that no words could truly express what he felt at the time. Suddenly, stardom, success, and professional ambitions took a back seat. His only focus became his son’s survival.
The treatment journey was long and exhausting. Ayaan underwent surgery and chemotherapy, followed by years of close medical monitoring. The ordeal lasted nearly five years, a period during which Emraan largely withdrew from films, choosing instead to be a constant presence for his family. It was a test of patience, strength, and faith — one that reshaped his outlook on life completely.
Emraan married Parveen Shahani in December 2006 after six and a half years of dating. Their son Ayaan was born on February 3, 2010. After years of relentless treatment and hope, the family finally received the news they had prayed for — in January 2019, Ayaan was declared cancer-free.
Today, as Emraan reflects on that chapter, he speaks not as a movie star, but as a father whose priorities were rewritten overnight. His story stands as a powerful reminder that behind the glamour of cinema lie real struggles, real fears, and extraordinary resilience.
