Actor Rajshri Deshpande, who gained recognition with her work in Sacred Games (2018) and Trial by Fire (2023), revealed her grade 1 breast cancer diagnosis in March. The actress said she had been diagnosed with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (NOS). Since then Rajshri Deshpande has been actively sharing details about her ongoing treatment, diagnosis, and the impact of the disease on physical and mental health.
On Dealing With Grade 1 Breast Cancer
Rajshri Deshpande tells NDTV, “I’m dealing with invisible demons, and I’ve dealt with them. That’s what life is. There will be many more invisible demons. We all have to fight, and we’ll have to keep on fighting.”
She continues, “People have perceived cancer as a difficult word, but it isn’t. It gives you so much life to correct yourself, to remind yourself that life is beautiful. But you are taking it for granted, so correct yourself, make it better, live, because in a protocol of life, we kind of tend to forget that. You need to heal yourself. You need to find joy in your day-to-day things.”
Furthermore, she shares insights on how the medication for cancer treatment can be harsh. But she adds, “Every woman leading a post-35 perimenopause or menopause life knows it’s difficult for us.”
How She Is Fighting Cancer
In an exclusive NDTV interview, Rajshri Deshpande shared a childhood anecdote that gives her courage to navigate her cancer journey.
“In my childhood, I used to be scared of ghosts. One day, my father told me that bad people are ghosts. So for me, an entire understanding of ghosts changed. And similarly, I see that cancer is (like) the bad people. So remove bad people from your mind, heart, body, and surroundings, and find the best people in your life. So, it’s just that. My doctor also said, ‘You have to have happy hormones. (There should be) positive people around you, lead a healthy lifestyle. Nobody will touch you’.”
What’s Next For Rajshri Deshpande
Rajshri Deshpande is gearing up for the release of her Marathi film Baapya, which releases on May 15. She will be essaying the character of a trans man in the film.
Last year, she appeared in Mani Ratnam’s 2025 film Thug Life, which featured Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan, Aishwarya Lekshmi, and Ashok Selvan in major roles.
Rajshri Deshpande began her Hindi film career with a minor role in the 2012 movie Talaash.
She later appeared on television in shows like Kuch Toh Log Kahenge and 24: India. After returning to films with a supporting role in Salman Khan’s Kick, she earned strong critical praise for her performance in Sacred Games which brought her wider visibility.
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