Don`t hide your illness, advises Mumtaz

Mumbai: Veteran actress and cancer survivor Mumtaz, whose favourite co-stars Rajesh Khanna and Dara Singh passed away recently, says it is never wise to hide an illness. "What I don`t understand is, why does one have to hide one`s illness? When I was ill with cancer, my thyroid gland was gone because of the chemotherapy. That meant anything I ate went straight to my weight. I bloated up. But since my fans knew about my condition, no one made fun of me," said the 65-year-old. "I was honest about my illness and I am honest about my age. Fans love you more for your honesty. They all know that no matter how big the star, he or she will die one day," she added. IANS