Former actor and Bigg Boss 6 fame Sana Khan, who quit the film industry in 2020 and married Muslim cleric and businessman Mufti Anas Saiyad a month later, has spoken about the perception that she was “brainwashed” into leaving Bollywood after marriage.

In a recent interview with actor Rashami Desai, Sana said that she was already undergoing a personal transformation at the time. “When our marriage was arranged, it was a top secret. Nobody except my mum and dad even knew the groom’s name. Even when the mehendi artist asked for his name, I didn’t reveal it. I was going through a major change in my life. I was transforming into a whole new person. This is something that I wanted, and he is the one who guided me,” she said.

Sana added that people drew conclusions after seeing her adopt the hijab and step away from the industry. “People think, ‘oh she used to roam without a hijab, and suddenly she’s become so this that. So maybe this guy has brainwashed her’. It’s never like that; nobody can brainwash you until and unless you want it. I wanted peace. A person might find fame, money and status, but at the end of the day, everyone wants inner peace,” she said.

She also stated that she left films because “when your surroundings aren’t right, your decisions are often wrong”, adding that she now deeply values her relationship with her husband. Sana and Anas are parents to two children.