How 'All That Breathes's Shaunak Sen got 'accidental' cancer diagnosis
What's the story
Acclaimed filmmaker Shaunak Sen, who is known for his internationally recognized documentary All That Breathes, recently faced a health crisis.
Doctors found "a small malignant tumor" in his kidney during a routine checkup for an autoimmune condition in October.
The "accidental discovery" resulted in the successful removal of the cancer through partial nephrectomy on December 26.
Recovery progress
Thankfully, cancer was caught at a low-grade stage
Sen shared his health update on Instagram.
He wrote, "On the 26th of December I had a partial nephrectomy, i.e., a part of my kidney was removed. (it was converted from robotic to an open surgery midway, so there's a dramatic Cronenbergian gash in the belly.) It was successful; the cancer is out of me."
He called the unexpected discovery a blessing in disguise as it was caught early at a low-grade stage.
Support system
Sen's social absence and support during recovery
Sen also admitted to being away from social circles owing to his health issues, adding that he was in the hospital for months.
His post read, "Never had a better excuse for all acquaintances complaining about my going AWOL in recent months."
He thanked friends who stood by him during this time, including filmmaker Mira Nair and actor Tillotama Shome.
Career highlight
Sen's acclaimed documentary 'All That Breathes'
Sen shot to international fame with his 2023 documentary All That Breathes. The Delhi-based film tells the story of two brothers who rescue and nurture injured birds.
It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 95th Academy Awards and bagged the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and the Golden Eye Award at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival.