Actress Shakeela has revealed that she underwent cervical spine surgery after years of playing games for four to five hours at a stretch on her mobile and PlayStation, combined with long hours of watching videos on Instagram and YouTube.

In an interview with Milestone Makers, the actress said these habits directly caused the disc problem in her neck that eventually required an operation. ” I used to play games for 4-5 hours on the mobile and PlayStation and watched videos on Instagram and YouTube. I was happy playing games and loved the experience, but the hours spent in the same position, typically lying on my side in bed, took a toll on my cervical spine over time. When the pain became severe, I visited the hospital, where doctors examined me and recommended surgery as the only effective solution.”

She agreed to the procedure after understanding that the condition would not improve without surgical intervention. During the operation, doctors inserted a titanium chip between two vertebrae and fixed it with screws to stabilise the affected area. The surgery cost Rs 3 lakh. “Something came out from between two of the bones. For that, they have now put a titanium chip and fixed it with screws,” she said, adding, “Honestly, it is an unnecessary expense. Forget the money, there is also the pain and suffering.”

Story continues below this ad

She used the interaction to warn her audience about excessive phone use, particularly urging parents to monitor their children’s screen time. “Use the phone only for essential things. Avoid watching unnecessary videos, even mine, and watch only useful ones. Otherwise, you will lose Rs 3 lakh and have to endure unbearable pain as well,” she said.

Who is Shakeela?

Born Shakeela C Begum near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, the actress rose to fame through softcore adult films. After a few unimpressive appearances, she played the central character in director RJ Prasad’s Kinnara Thumbikal, which became a massive blockbuster, grossing a whopping Rs 4 crore against a reported budget of just Rs 12 lakh. The movie not only earned big but also made Shakeela a pop-culture icon in Kerala, marking the beginning of the Shakeela tharangam (wave).

For the next few years, the actor pretty much ruled the industry, with her films becoming bigger successes than those headlined by most men, particularly since mainstream Malayalam cinema was plagued by a serious dearth of quality work at that time. However, the Shakeela tharangam did not last long.

Story continues below this ad