A recently uploaded video by popular actor Aindrila Sharma on her Facebook page, which shows her dancing to the song Asatoma Sadgamaya by Arijit Singh from the Bengali film Khaad, has had over a million views. Aindrila is a trained dancer, but this video is more than just a showcase of her skill. On the last leg of treatment after a relapse of her cancer in 2021, this clip that she put up on her mother’s behest, highlights not only her emotional battle but also her positive approach to life.
“The lyrics of the song, ‘Hetha naiko mrityu, naiko jwora’ resonate deeply with me. I have seen death up close, and the song is very relatable,” says Aindrila in an interview with My Kolkata.
In 2015, still dreaming of making it big in the entertainment industry, little did the now household name know that her life would take an unprecedented turn with the diagnosis of a Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor (PNET) in the spine. A “completely unexpected” relapse in 2021, threw 23-year-old Aindrila Sharma’s life off-track once again, but the actress has been scaling this uphill battle with grit.
After a critical surgery to remove a malignant growth in her lung earlier this year in a private hospital in Kolkata, she is currently undergoing the last leg of treatment. “I had other plans with my life and career, but the diagnosis of the relapse blurred everything. However, I have always been a very positive person and I believe that something better is waiting for me,” shares Aindrila.
Aindrila, who made her debut with the Bengali tele-serial Jhumur in 2017, has been in the limelight for several popular television projects like Jibon Jyoti, Mahapeeth Tarapeeth, and Jiyon Kathi. The actress received much appreciation and encouragement from fans and industry peers for her dedication towards her craft when she completed the shooting for Jiyon Kathi on her return to the city after her first chemotherapy sessions in a Delhi hospital this March.
Born and brought up in Berhampore in Murshidabad district, little Aindrila always knew she wanted to become an actor. Her parents supported her dreams wholeheartedly and her training in classical dance, recitation, and dance-drama began from the age of three.
A bright student and a bubbly child, Aindrila would keep her parents and teachers on their toes. She chuckles now remembering how she had once chopped off a section of her hair to give her mother a respite from doing up her thick curly mane.
Today, at a critical juncture in life, she feels safely embraced by the steady presence of her parents and elder sibling by her side. Her other pillar of support is partner and fellow actor Sabyasachi Chowdhury, whom she met on the set of her debut serial Jhumur. An emotional Aindrila says her “mental peace and strength come from [her] family and Sabyasachi.”
Speaking of Sabyasachi, she says that their “foundation grew with time.” Their camaraderie and mutual support of each other is often seen in the social media posts they share, and the duo are well-loved by fans.
The disease is in remission now, but Aindrila’s documentation of her journey on social media has resonated with many who share similar stories. The braveheart herself is inspired by survivor stories “from cricketer Yuvraj Singh and actor Sonali Bendre.” Even reaching out to one person who is in need of hope in any uphill battle of life with her account means a lot to her.
The comment section of her photos and videos from her own experience are abuzz with similar stories from people, and love and support from her fans, or “extended family,” as she calls them. To her, they “bring more strength to march on.”
Aindrila plans to devote the year-end to treatment and the first few months of the coming year to fitness, gearing up for new projects. Her positivity is inspiring and we wish her all the very best.
Aindrila Sharma after her third chemotherapy in April 2021 @actressaindrilaSharma/Facebook