Tannaz Irani recently endured a series of unfortunate accidents, but the actress has managed to bounce back. Reflecting on the challenging fortnight, she shares, “Two weeks ago, I fell in a movie theatre and sprained my left leg. A few days later, a freak accident occurred when my parked car was hit from behind by a bus. Fortunately, I was seated in the front, so I was unharmed, but the car was severely damaged.”

She adds, “Then, as if that wasn’t enough, another mishap happened while I was compèring a musical show. While walking down a flight of stairs on stage, I tumbled backwards. Thankfully, I didn’t injure my head, back, or my hip, which had recently undergone replacement surgery. However, I sprained my right leg badly. Despite the pain, I got up and carried on with the show.”

The actress admits that these incidents have taken an emotional and physical toll. “These past two weeks have been overwhelming and have shaken me. Whether it’s juggling work or taking care of my kids, I’ve been pushing myself to keep going. Walking has become difficult, but I continue to work,” she says.

Over the past two years, Tannaz Iranihas faced health challenges because of a severe back injury forcing her to rely on a cane. Nonetheless, a self-proclaimed workaholic, the actress coped with the difficult phase by swallowing painkillers. It was only recently that she realised the problem wasn’t related to her back but the hip joint.

She says, “It took me two years to diagnose my condition. Believing the issue was with my back and knee, I underwent numerous MRIs and X-rays and went from doctor to doctor for relief.”

She has now been advised to go in for hip replacement surgery, which is scheduled in a few days. She shares, “I am nervous and excited. I have always been a positive person and I am ready for the surgery.”

Even with her resilient spirit, there are some moments when Tannaz longs to get back to her former healthy self. She says, “My daughter shared an old video of me running with shopping bags in London from a couple of years ago and wrote to me, ‘This was when mummy could run and walk.’ I couldn’t hold back my tears because, since then, they had seen me limping around the house.”

The actress is currently shooting for two shows – Barsatein and Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Mein. She is grateful that her producers have been supportive of her condition. She shares, “I will resume work as soon as I can walk, even if I have to use a stick or a walker.”

She adds, “It’s essential to heal from within because much of the pain we endure is often related to unresolved emotional issues. Besides medication, I have been diligently practicing meditation, which has helped me adopt a positive outlook so that my body welcomes recovery. My goal is to regain the ability to walk without assistance and dance again. I am so optimistic about the results that I have taken up work scheduled for January and February next year.”

Not many know that the past year has not been easy for Tannaz Irani, who suffered from a severe back injury and had to stay away from work. The actress, who was last seen in the TV show Apna Time Bhi Aayega, never spoke about her condition till now.

She says, “I haven’t spoken about it because I didn’t want to become a coffee-time conversation or gain pity. If no one can help me in that situation, then I would rather not share it. So I didn’t put anything on social media either. But I used social media as a tool to feel better; I watched a lot of content and that helped me.”

"My husband Bhakhtyar, my kids, other family members and my close friends are my support system. They always tried to make me feel better. My husband would come up with these jokes and that really helped me through the tough times. They never let me give up," said Tannaz.

Talking about her condition, Tannaz says, “I used to constantly get spasms in my back. Due to long working hours and wearing heels constantly, I suffered an L4 and L5 slip disc. I was unable to walk and had to use a stick for a while. I tried various treatments. It was a very difficult phase, I lost confidence and even went through depression. But slowly things started getting better and with physiotherapy and meditation, I bounced back.”

Over the years, we have seen many television actors crying foul over unceremonious ouster from shows. The latest is Tannaz Irani, who plays Ranisa in Apna Time Bhi Aayega. The actress says that she was replaced on the show after she expressed her reservations about moving to Goa for the shoot. According to her, the makers replaced her abruptly, without even discussing the possibility of a solution.

She says, “I shot with them till April 11, two days before they decided to move to Goa after shoots were stalled in Maharashtra. The production house texted everyone, enquiring whether we would be available to shoot, but without mentioning other details like accommodation and duration of the stay. I told them that I was not sure about travelling, but was open to a discussion. However, there was no discussion.”

Tannaz adds, “Given the current situation, I wouldn’t have been allowed to travel back to Mumbai to see my children. I do not have anyone to look after them, and can’t expect my husband (Bhakhtyar) to take care of everything. Besides, I have already been infected with Coronavirus once. So, my family is bound to get worried for me. Having said that, I was not completely averse to the idea, but it’s a big decision, and I wanted to discuss it.”

The actress says that while she was expecting to resolve the issue, the production house informed her about her replacement. “If something like this can happen with a senior artiste like me, I can only imagine the state of newcomers. What if I had to tell the production house that I wasn’t satisfied with my track and I wouldn’t continue on the show? I would have been labelled as unprofessional,” she says. 

While producer Ved Raj remained unavailable for comment, a source associated with the show explains, “Tannaz told us that she wouldn’t be able to join us in Goa. We managed without her for 15 days and even tweaked the storyline to accommodate her absence. But since we are not going to resume shoot in Mumbai for a while, how long can we adjust without her character? Hence this decision was taken.”

The curly-haired comedienne is a known face on the small screen but not many are aware that the actress started her career with theatre. After a break of 10 years, Tannaz Irani is now returning with the English version of Selfie, a play that she is also directing. In a quick tête-à-tête with BT, she talks about being stereotyped as a comic actor and why she needs an image makeover.

Why did you stay away from theatre all this while?
In the past 10 years, I didn't find any script challenging enough. I didn't want to restrict myself to comedy; I wanted to do a serious play. I have been doing comedy for two decades now and everyone knows I am good at it. So, I am keen to explore a different genre and want people to see me in a new light. Ever since Boman Irani did the play I'm Not Bajirao in the 90s, he has been a huge inspiration for me. He got selected from stage and moved ahead in his career. That's exactly what theatre does to you - it takes you places. I hope this play will be an image changer for me.

Paritosh Painter has already directed Selfie in Hindi. How different will your version be?
I have totally changed the script and added so much more to every character. For me, at this stage in my career and life, this play has been a total catharsis. Every day during rehearsals, I would come up with something new, which would blow the minds of my actors. I believe I have taken Selfie to a completely new level.

Do you consider directing nerve-racking?
I was really nervous the first few days. Though this is the third time I am directing a play, my previous ventures were light-hearted. With this play, I had many challenges, as I am acting in it, too. I carried my work home. In fact, for the past many weeks, I don't even know what food is being cooked in the house! It has completely taken a toll on my life. As a director, I am a very hard taskmaster and like Hitler on stage. But my actors let me run them down because they have tremendous faith in me and know I will pick them up from wherever they have fallen. They don't mind me being strict because when they see people applauding during rehearsals, they are happy.

Will you be doing more plays now?
Yes, I am dying to do the next one! I already have an idea in my head. I have decided that everything that I will do henceforth will be meaningful. I am getting back to stage so that it can take me ahead from where I left off. Theatre has given me everything I have. I never had to give auditions or make a portfolio for my screen roles, as people saw me on stage and offered me work. Now, once again, theatre is going to give me a chance to move ahead, this time in a different direction.