It has been six months since Sheezan Khan stepped out of jail and he is gradually rebuilding his life. The actor became a topic of discussion after the alleged suicide of his Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul co-actor Tunisha Sharma on December 24, 2022, and his subsequent arrest (Tunisha’s mother accused him of abetting her daughter’s suicide). He talks to us about what he went through weeks after his release and people’s perception of him.

Arrested on December 24, 2022, Sheezan was released on bail on March 5 this year. He says, “Jail is a place that breaks you, not just once, but every day. Every minute feels endless. It is bizarre to see people fretting over trivial issues. Irrespective of the gravity of one’s problems, everything ceases to matter when you have a bed, blanket and pillow to sleep on. You can’t be more fortunate than that. I had to come out of that place sane.”

Difficult times serve as a litmus test for relationships, and Sheezan was shocked when he learnt that some people he considered close had abandoned him. He shares, “Many turned their backs on me because they were worried about their reputation, while others were busy sensationalizing the story instead of waiting for the truth to come out. In the process, my family was unfairly dragged into controversies. They received so much hatred for no fault of theirs. It was a very dark moment for me. However, I overcame that phase. Besides, I have nothing to hide and have never wronged anyone. All I knew was that my family and lawyer Shailendra Mishra were fighting for me. I had full faith in them and the judiciary.”

Talking about what he went through in the weeks after his release from jail, he shares, “I broke down when my bail plea was rejected in January, fearing that I could be languishing inside for a year or more. After being released on bail, I couldn’t sleep properly for 70 days. I felt like a stranger in my own home and would often cry for hours. I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I’m grateful to my family for standing by me through this ordeal.”

Such incidents can often be detrimental to one’s career. However, Sheezan feels fortunate that the industry people didn’t let their opinion of him get clouded by the incident. He says, “I feel blessed that I got a second chance in life. Fortunately, the industry’s perception of me didn’t change. Of course, even today, some people have an issue ki ‘yeh jee kaise raha hai, khush kaise hai, ya kaam kaise kar raha hai’. However, I don’t care about being judged by anyone except the court.”

After his arrest in December last year, the makers of Ali Baba Dastaan-e-Kabul had no choice but to bring Abhishek Nigam as his replacement to play the new Ali. While that was inevitable, what upset Sheezan was being approached for a cameo appearance in the show shortly after his release. He recalls, “After I came out, I was offered a cameo in my own show; the one I nurtured from the beginning and put my heart and soul into. I was so hurt that it triggered a panic attack. I guess I was approached to give the much-needed hype to the show. I declined the offer.”

When we ask him about Tunisha, he says, “The place she held in my life cannot be described in words. Those who know us know that she meant the world to me. I am not afraid to admit that her untimely demise has left a void that can never be filled. If she had been here, she would have been my unbreakable shield. She’ll forever be my Tunni, someone I deeply cared for. A part of Sheezan has gone with her.”

He wants to put his past behind him and do well on the work front. “I look forward to the quashing of the case against me and have full faith in my lawyer Shailendra Mishra,” he says, adding, “As an artiste, I want to be challenged. There is a dearth of male-oriented shows on television and after Ali Baba, I have become greedy for quality work and substantial characters. I aspire to raise the bar with every performance.”