In a recent interview, Shihan Hussaini opened about his struggles with cancer, and made a request to his former students — Pawan Kalyan and Vijay.
Shihan Hussaini is a martial arts exponent, archery teacher, sculptor, actor, host, and a lot more. He has developed a legion of fans over the years thanks to his onscreen roles, and offscreen avatars. However, a pall of gloom spread over all of them when Hussaini revealed his blood cancer and aplastic anaemia diagnosis. In a recent interview to Galatta, he opened about his struggles with the disease, and made a request to his former students — Pawan Kalyan and Vijay.
“Every day is a struggle, but I am a man of Karate… I can’t let cancer keep me away from what I love doing… and that is Martial arts and Archery,” said Hussaini, who shared that he needs two units of blood every single day. “I can’t go on like this, I know. I am selling my training centre, which is like a temple to me, to ensure I am taken care of till I am there.”
However, Shihan Hussaini requested his student Kalyan Kumar, who is popularly known as Pawan Kalyan, to buy the training centre from him. “You know, I was the one who named him Pawan. I know if it reaches his ears, he’d pay heed to my words. But I do hope he buys the centre, and continues to run it as one. I know he has achieved great heights, and is now the Deputy Chief Minister. But I’ve known him since the days he trained under me, used to clean the centre, give me my tea, etc. We used to talk about our dream of taking martial arts everywhere. I hope he realises that dream now,” said Hussaini, who believed this would help keep his legacy alive instead of selling it to someone who would change it into a commercial complex or a residential apartment.
Hussaini also made a request to actor-turned-politician Vijay. Interestingly, Hussaini trained Vijay for the film, Badri, which was the official remake of Pawan Kalyan’s Thammudu. Hussaini was not just known for his martial arts proficiency, but also his archery training. The ace guru always harboured the dream of creating an Olympic medallist from his team, and wanted to further the agenda of the sport in Tamil Nadu.
Hussaini shared that his request to Vijay was to keep the Olympic dream flying high. “I wish Vijay, in some capacity, ensures that every home in Tamil Nadu has an archery enthusiast, and someone who would go on to represent the State and the country in various events, including the Olympics.”
Shihan Hussaini made his acting debut in K Balachander’s Punnagai Mannan, which was headlined by Kamal Haasan and Revathy. He’ has starred in several films with almost all the top actors of his generation, including Rajinikanth (Bloodstone, Velaikkaran), Vijay (Badri), and Vijay Sethupathi (Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kadhal).