A broad question to answer to anyone would be “How come we suffer with Cancer?”, in first place to understand the why! There is no way to determine that this person will suffer from cancer and this person won’t. Medical science is progressing at a very high speed but can we really identify someone who could possibly suffer from cancer in later stages of life?
For starters, there are few DNA states and few more healthy bone marrow tests that can determine if there is a chance for any long term diseases becoming fatal to the person who has undergone the tests. But until and unless on oncologist determines if your blood needs to be tested for cancer cells, there is no absolute determining factor that will authoritatively conclude that this human will suffer with cancer.
Again, this is a board topic. But cancer is nothing but gene mutation that causes extra cell growth in your blood, lungs, pancreas, liver, stomach, skin, breasts (male & female) and various other parts too.
Gene mutation could be hereditary that is what DNA tests are mainly done for if a person wants to determine the health hazards that he has due to genes he inherited. But this is not 100% accurate and people who are said to be prone to cancer disease did live long enough to keep themselves free from it.
Now, Gene mutation can be caused by long term exposure to polluted air, water, nuclear waste, bright lights & laser rays, X-rays, Gamma rays, UV rays – (even sunlight is harmful to our skin if UV protective layer – Ozone in the atmosphere is not at work) and wrong food habits. Food habits might not really spark the catharsis but they will worsen it for sure.
In Telugu Films or most Indian Films – cancer has been used the major storytelling device to trigger emotions. If a story is going smoothly, then the plot would have a twist with a hero or heroine suffering from deadly disease like cancer. As other diseases at some point got medication. So, if you want to kill an important character – either throw it under the bus (literally), or say it developed a sudden heart stroke or if you just want to have it in the story for a longer time, say the character has an incurable disease like cancer or hole in the heart.
These days, heroes or main leads with some sort of medical condition became common in our stories but in 1960’s or 70’s, a sudden change in pace was achieved by killing a character with heart stroke. Later they gave cancer the honours to be able to write a tragedy.
Hero, ANR is a happy-go-lucky guy rich guy. While his life changes due to old will and a parental secret, he is faced with another challenge to marry his love, Vani Sri or the girl, Chandrakala, who loves him and is suffering with cancer. Movie became such a huge hit that many wanted to explore the same storyline.
This time with same hero ANR, Dasari Narayana Rao the director and writer, decided to flip the Dasara Bullodu concept and give it Devadasu twist. The movie became an All-Time Blockbuster in 1981, because of his writing and ANR, Sridevi, Jayasudha performances.
If these two films had leads suffering through cancer, there are many others with secondary or tertiary characters suffering through cancer as well.
NTR did Major Chandrakanth where his wife dies due to cancer and he decides to give his life for saving the Nation’s secrets. Coincidentally or wantedly, writers used the real life premise of NTR wife’s death due to cancer in the film, one can say.
Similarly, many movies solved the triangular love story problem with one character dying using Dasara Bullodu plot line or they used to kill off the person in a honorable yet tragical way.
Now, let’s look at Indian Celebrities who survived from Cancer and who died due to it.
Sonali Bendre – She is going through treatment but she recovered mostly from the disease, say reports.
Manisha Koirala – The beautiful actress suffered through mild cancer and she recovered from it fully.
Lisa Ray – She is an international model who turned into an actress. She acted in Telugu with Mahesh Babu in Takkari Donga. She survived from cancer and is doing webseries and cancer related awareness programs.
Anurag Basu – Director of films like Barfi suffered with Blood Cancer and survived after long battle.
Rakesh Roshan – Currently is undergoing treatment but he is recovering from the disease and he is looking go fitter and fight against the disease.
Mamata Mohandas – Malayalam actress who joined Telugu films with Yamadonga had to undergo cancer and she recovered from it fully.
Kamal R Khan – The most controversial critic (as he claims), went for a treatment in Dubai after getting to know he has stomach cancer.
Nargis Dutt – Probably, first Indian major celebrity to die due to cancer. She battled hard for years with the disease but died happily in the presence of her family. She is the mother of Sanjay Dutt.
Mumtaz – Leading lady of 1970’s was revered for her beauty and acting skills. She suffered with cancer and after battling for 11 years, died succumbing to the relentless beast.
Vinod Khanna – Once dream boy of many women Vinod Khanna after coming back into films, acted with Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan but couldn’t battle against the cancer successfully.
Rajesh Khanna – Rajesh Khanna is often called as the First Superstar of Indian Cinema. He became huge icon during his peak as an actor and died due to cancer after battling with it for 3 years.
Feroz Khan – Stylish director of Hindi and Indian Cinema, died due to cancer in his last stages.
Irrfan Khan – You all know about this acting legend and his fight neuroendocrine cancer. He battled with it for 3 years before he couldn’t anymore.
Rishi Kapoor – Rishi Kapoor is the legend of Indian Cinema and he died after battling with cancer for two years.
We hope you figured out the answer for why from this article. We just shared some basic level information as we are not experts to give a comprehensive diagnosis about it!
