Blunt to the point of seeming unaffected, the director talks about the challenges of urinary bladder cancer and why it’s no big deal
Mahesh Manjrekar, who was treated for bladder cancer, is back on set for his next film, a biopic on Veer Savarkar, starring Randeep Hooda. Pic/Ashish Raje
I used to love smoking. But you can either love life or love smoking,” says Mahesh Manjrekar. The director-screenwriter-actor was diagnosed with urinary bladder cancer last year. “I would go to the loo a lot,” says the 63-year-old. “First, I would get up twice at night and then every hour. It was horrible. Initially, I was medicated for an overactive bladder [characterised by frequent and sudden urge to urinate]. Then, I saw blood.” A cystoscopy revealed a high grade cancer. Just two years ago, he was celebrated for being at his fittest, losing 30 kg.