• Home
• /
• UAE

Dubai-based dancer lives pain of cancer patients after donating hair

Abu Dhabi - After the initial mental breakdown, she is back to guiding students and even visited Muscat to judge a competition.

Anupama S Pillai, a Dubai-based classical dancer, had gone bald for the benefit of cancer patients in August. However, the last two months have been nightmarish as she got shunned by friends and relatives. The artiste was told to use a wig and made to regret her decision to part ways with her 43 inches of hair.

After the initial mental breakdown, she is back to guiding students and even visited Muscat to judge a competition. In a bid to spread awareness and fight the stigma, Anupama is choreographing a dance sequence narrating the plight of cancer patients and people like her who get criticised.

Supplied photo

It all started in August during a vacation to her native state of Kerala. The mother of two children asked her elder son Devanarayanan to shave his head. He refused saying his friends would make fun of him. Anupama then gave her son a reality check with a visit to Regional Cancer Centre Thiruvananthapuram. The depressing sight of bald patients made Anupama and her two kids chop off their hair.

Her husband, Dr Praveen, was shocked by the decision, as long flowing hair is a blessing for any dancer. Anupama performs Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and folk dances, making her a sought-after artiste for stage shows in Dubai and Sharjah. She convinced her husband but shock awaited her in the form of rejection from friends and relatives.

"My sister Aparna, also a dancer, had a baby girl. It was a joyous occasion as I have two sons and this happens to be the first girl child among the next generation. So, I uploaded a photo with the baby on Facebook and then comments of sympathy rained. I cleared the misunderstanding saying I am not a patient but just donated my hair. It was then that everyone started ignoring me.

"I was asked not to pose for group photos, or update Facebook and WhatsApp profile pictures. Wherever I went, it was a stoic silence and cold response. It wasn't sympathy but I was shunned. I was told that my decision was wrong and that I should try a wig. I was made to feel like a cancer patient. It was then I truly understood the pain of a cancer patient. I went into a shell as I was mentally broken and my husband supported me throughout."

Anupama runs Tharang Performing Arts Training Centre in Dubai and her 150-odd students stood by their teacher's decision. About 20 of them have planned to grow their hair and donate.

"I had a good response from Gulf Model School where I work as a cultural coordinator. Feeling inspired, a few teachers and administration staff have also donated hair. It was my husband, school and students who have helped me recover from the negativism," she said.

Today, Anupama has fought the narrow-minded. "I travel without a wig. I don't care about people's reaction now."

But she feels sorry thinking about the misery of cancer patients. "Everyone should realise that nobody is immune to diseases. Beauty is not about looking good but having a caring heart."

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com