While Iman Ali is oft noticed for her gift of lighting up the silver screen with her natural grace, elegance and charm, what many are not aware of is the star’s prolonged battle with a neurological ailment that in itself would be worthy of being showcased in celluloid. Initially making her presence felt in the glitzy world of fashion, Iman rose to stardom with 2007’s Khuda Kay Liye. She has been battling Multiple Sclerosis for well over a decade now and opened up about her struggle with much eloquence recently.

Telling it like it is

Baring one’s soul about debilitating personal struggles can be a challenge for most, especially when facing the camera, thus it’s all the more heartening that a major celebrity came out in the open to raise awareness for early diagnosis of the condition. “My body started to get numb during the shoot, I thought it was the usual fatigue, but the reality was something else,” revealed the Mah-e-Mir star. “It was 2006, everything was perfect, but then Multiple Sclerosis happened, and it became the biggest challenge of my life,” she added, describing her ordeal. “Not many people know what it is – It is very difficult to live with Multiple Sclerosis. Sometimes while reading a script, things start going blurry…and the fatigue doesn’t go away after even 8 hours of sleep.”

“One has to live in constant fear about how each day will pass.”

While receiving medical treatment, the actress has continued to work in select projects, appearing in films such as Bol, Mah-e-Mir and the forthcoming Tich Button. “The saddest bit is that no one has ever acknowledged that despite the condition, I never gave up.”

Multiple Sclerosis is a progressively debilitating disease for which no cure, unfortunately, exists at present, although the progression of its symptoms can be significantly managed with modern treatment. It can be a life roadblock as it has the potential to leave a person without physical mobility within a decade. That Iman has come so far battling the neurological condition while successfully managing her career, and “even getting married,” as she puts it, is something we can all truly draw strength from and appreciate.

Thought to affect about 5 in every 100,000 people in the country, MS remains tragically underdiagnosed, and Iman in the public service message urged those with any noticeable symptoms to consult a neurologist immediately, as early detection can make all the difference.

Final word

All of us in our different capacities are going through our daily struggles, however not many have the courage to bare their imperfections for the world to see. That a popular celebrity is taking up the cause for bringing more awareness to the condition is praiseworthy, and all the more inspirational given how far Iman has come battling it. Here’s wishing more power to the star, and we look forward to catching more of her in her upcoming film Tich Button!