Shekhar Suman opens up about his darkest phase - the death of his elder son

Actor Shekhar Suman, currently appearing in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, recently opened up about one of the darkest moments in his life—the loss of his elder son Aayush to a rare disease at age 11. Shekhar shared the anguish of being torn between work commitments and his son's critical condition, recalling the heart-wrenching moment when Aayush pleaded for him to stay instead of going for a shoot. Following Aayush's passing, Shekhar admitted to grappling with a crisis of faith, symbolized by his decision to remove all religious idols from his home.

In an interview with Connect FM Canada, Shekhar recounted the heartbreaking moments he shared with Aayush, holding onto hope for a miracle that never came. Despite his son's critical condition, Shekhar recalled a distressing incident when a director, aware of Aayush's illness, insisted he attend a shoot. Reluctantly agreeing, Shekhar faced a poignant plea from Aayush, begging him not to leave on a rainy day when the child was particularly unwell. Promising a swift return, Shekhar left, haunted by the memory of that moment.

Following Aayush's passing, Shekhar experienced a profound crisis of faith, leading him to shut down the temple in his house and remove all idols, symbolizing his disillusionment with a God who seemed to have inflicted unbearable pain. Shekhar revealed that the depth of Aayush's suffering became so unbearable that his wife prayed for his release. The loss remains an enduring wound for Shekhar, who finds himself thinking of Aayush constantly, each day marked by his absence.

Shekhar previously recounted the immense struggle he faced when he received the devastating news in 1989 that his son was terminally ill. It felt like the end of everything—his career, his life, his family. Each day was spent clinging to his son, aware that their time together was limited. In an interview with Entertainment Live, Shekhar revealed that when doctors delivered the grim diagnosis of his son's rare disease, they predicted just eight months. Yet, his son defied the odds, bravely fighting for four years instead of the anticipated eight months.

Shekhar shared that he sought treatment for his son in London but opted against a heart transplant due to the associated risks. Despite his father's medical background, he felt powerless in the face of his son's illness. Despite seeking advice from leading medical experts worldwide and finding solace in Buddhism, Shekhar came to the stark realization that miracles are not a certainty. Presently, he can be seen in the Netflix series Heeramandi, where he shares the screen with his other son, Adhyayan Suman.