Sana Makbul reveals why she was less visible after winning ‘Bigg Boss OTT 3’: 'I did not accept the condition at first'

Sana Makbul, who is the winner of ‘Bigg Boss OTT Season 3’, found herself at the centre of speculation soon after the show ended. Unlike other contestants, who usually stay in the spotlight with back-to-back projects, for Sana Makbul, things unfolded differently. Her reduced visibility after the show led many to assume that work offers had stopped coming her way. But in reality, she was facing a major health condition called Liver cirrhosis.

Why did Sana step back after ‘Bigg Boss OTT 3’?

In a conversation with Free Press Journal, Sana clarified that the narrative around her “disappearing” was incorrect. She explained that she was actively working and was fully driven by financial goals after winning the show. Dismissing assumptions about unemployment, she said, "Mujhe na bhot log bolte hain ki Bigg Boss ke baad gayab ho gayi, kaam nahi mil raha. No, let me break that assumption, aisa nahi hai. (A lot of people say that I disappeared after Bigg Boss and that I was not getting work. No—let me break that assumption. That’s not the case.)"


She explained that she was actively working after the show and added, "I was on my feet, mujhe kaam karna tha, mujhe kaam karna hai aur mai kar rahi thi. ( I was on my feet, I wanted to work, I still want to work, and I was working)". Her focus after winning the show was clear. She wanted financial stability.

Health struggles and fear of being judged

After her win, Sana’s focus was on securing her future, earning enough to buy herself a house, and thus, she kept working without any breaks. On looking back at that phase, she confessed, "Mai paise jodne lag gayi thi, mai kaam karne lag gayi thi. Maine apne aap pe dhyan hi nahi diya.( I started saving money and taking on more work. I didn’t pay attention to my own health at all.)”

In December, her health took a serious hit when she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. Sana chose to be discreet about the condition to avoid people in this industry being biased against her. As she shared, "Log use mis-judge bhi karte hain. Kisi ko aapke sath kaam bhi karna hoga to they will be like- are isko to mat bulao ye bimar rehti hai. (People misjudge as well. Even if someone wants to work with you, they say, ‘Oh, don’t call her—she’s always unwell.)" Doctors advised rest, and she spent ten straight days in the hospital.

Accepting the slowdown and choosing herself

Sana admitted that accepting her diagnosis was not easy. "I did not accept the condition at first, but later came peace with it." Recovery forced her to rethink everything. "There's a lot of life changes I have done," she said.
She now works at her own pace and refuses to rush. Addressing online comments, she said, "Log mujhe comment karte hain- are isko kaam nahi mil raha, ye nahi mil raha, wo nahi raha. Nahi! Mil raha hai, but slow. Mujhe khargosh ki speed nahi pakadne. I call myself a turtle. (People comment that I’m not getting work, that nothing is coming my way. No, it is coming, just slowly. I don’t want to run at a rabbit’s speed. I call myself a turtle)." Sana has accepted that health comes first, even if success arrives slowly.