.png)
1 hour ago
14
4 min readNew DelhiMay 9, 2026 01:20 PM IST
Rajeev Khandelwal's mother died in 2018. (Photo: Instagram/Rajeev Khandelwal)
Actor Rajeev Khandelwal, who is currently hosting the reality game show Tum Ho Naa, recently opened up about the loss of his mother to cancer. On the show, the actor admitted that he still carries guilt for not recognising the symptoms of her illness in time. Talking about the painful phase, Rajeev shared that the pain of losing his mother continues to stay with him years after her passing, adding that he often blames himself for not understanding the early warning signs of the illness sooner.
Rajeev recalls mother’s fight with ovarian cancer
Rajeev became emotional while speaking about his mother’s battle with ovarian cancer during an episode of the show. Talking about that difficult phase, he confessed that the regret still weighs heavily on him.
Rajeev said, “Main kaafi hadd tak khud ko gunehagaar samajhta hoon, kyunki mummy ko jo symptoms hue the, tab main samajh nahi paaya… Yeh show Bharat ke saare mahilaon ko samarpit hai, isliye main aap sab se darkhast karna chahunga agar aap mein kisi ko bhi kabhi back-ache ki samasya ho, aapka agar appetite kam ho jaye, aapke pet mein kuch bloating ho, gas ho aur woh lambe arse tak chale, toh please jaa ke apna test kariye. (I blame myself to a great extent because when my mother started showing those symptoms, I couldn’t understand what was happening at that time. This show is dedicated to all the women of India, and I would like to request all of you that if you ever experience back pain, a loss of appetite, bloating in your stomach, gas, or if these symptoms continue for a long time, then please go and get yourself tested.)”
The actor further added, “Ovarian cancer ko control kar sakte hain. Main apni mummy ka nahi kara saka, lekin aapke ird-gird jo mahilaayein hain unke liye zaroor soch sakte hain, samajh sakte hain. (Ovarian cancer can be controlled. I couldn’t do it for my mother, but you can definitely think about and take care of the women around you).”
ALSO READ: One contract ruined Salman Khan’s heroine Chandni’s career; she now teaches dance in America
Rajeev’s mother died in 2018
Rajeev lost his mother in 2018 after she battled cancer for nearly one-and-a-half years. Back then, he informed fans about the loss through a social media post.
He had written, “My mom passed away day before yesterday after a year and a half long fight with cancer. We fought together, we hoped together but we couldn’t come out of it together. My family and I are fine and have come to terms wth it. She now lives within me.”
Story continues below this ad
Rajeev’s return to television
After staying away from television for almost a decade, Rajeev recently made his comeback with the game show Tum Ho Naa.
The actor first rose to massive popularity with Kahiin To Hoga, where his portrayal of Sujal turned him into a household name and a fan favourite across the country. Over the years, he went on to feature in several television shows before expanding his career into films and OTT projects.
Rajeev is known for shows such as Time Bomb 9/11, Sun Leyna, Left Right Left and Reporters.
In 2008, he made his Bollywood debut with Aamir, followed by films including Shaitan, Soundtrack, Table No.21 and Samrat & Co.
English (US) ·