Singer and musician Adnan Sami has spoken about the difficult period of his life when a doctor told him that he had only six months left if he did not do something to reduce his weight. At the time, he weighed around 230 kg and was largely confined to his bed. Recently, he talked about the scare, his father’s response and how he managed to lose around 120 kg after the frightening diagnosis.
In an interview with Zoom, Adnan Sami said that he found himself in a situation wherein his health had severely declined. He had become so heavy that basic movement had become a struggle for him. He spent most of his time lying on the bed. During his medical check up, the doctor warned him that if he continued living the same way, his parents could find him dead within six months.
The singer stated that the news was difficult to process since his father was present when the doctor announced the prognosis. “It was a huge jolt. What made it even worse was that my father was sitting next to me when the doctor said it. I was more upset that he said it in front of my father because your loved ones react far more emotionally than you do. They love you and care for you,” he said.
At first, Adnan did his best to brush off this shocking statement from the doctor, stating that it was an absolute overreaction. But his dad saw that his son was getting sick right before his very eyes and wasn’t going to take it lying down. He confronted Adnan and stated that the doctor’s opinion was absolutely correct.
Things came to a head later that night when his father started crying, pleading with Adnan not to put his parents through the agony of outliving their child. That heartbreaking moment gave him the push he desperately needed. He promised his dad he would get his act together and fix his health once and for all.
Adnan's transformation did not happen overnight. He eventually lost approximately 120 kg, but the journey involved intense physical effort, strict food restrictions and plenty of moments when he felt discouraged. He recalled putting in enormous effort only to see the weighing scale move by a very small amount. There were weeks when he exercised intensely and restricted his food, only to lose around half a kilogram.
“I worked like hell. There were many times when I was working out, starving myself, depriving myself of so much, and after a whole week of intense effort, I'd realise I'd lost only half a kilo. You think, ‘All that effort for this?’ It's incredibly disheartening. But then you remind yourself that sometimes you hit a plateau. You have to keep going. It takes a lot of determination and willpower,” he added.
His health problems had also become increasingly serious before the transformation. For years, Adnan said he could not sleep lying down because his weight put pressure on his lungs and made breathing difficult. He also dealt with problems including water retention and lymphedema.
For years, rumours floated around that Adnan Sami’s massive weight loss was the result of liposuction or bariatric surgery. However, the singer has consistently shut down those claims, insisting his transformation was entirely due to strict discipline and a doctor-supervised routine.
Addressing the speculation, he brushed off the critics, noting that jealous people are always quick to downplay someone else's hard work. He called the surgery rumours total nonsense, pointing out that naysayers would rather invent excuses than give him credit for the effort he put in. In reality, he says his results came from an intense low-carb, high-protein diet. He completely ditched sugar, alcohol, rice, bread, and oil, dedicating himself fully to getting his physical health back on track.
Born in London, he became an Indian citizen in 2016 and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contribution to the arts. With a career spanning more than three decades, Adnan Sami has remained one of the familiar voices in Indian music, known for songs including Lift Karadey, Kabhi To Nazar Milao, Tera Chehra, Bhar Do Jholi Meri and Sun Zara. Recently, he unveiled his new song Ishq Tamasha.
Monica Yadav is a senior entertainment journalist with Hindustan Times Entertainment, based in Mumbai, with nearly 11 years of experience covering Bollywood, Hollywood and Asian entertainment, including Korean, Chinese and Thai cinema, television and music. She is among the few Indian journalists in India with a dedicated focus on Korean entertainment, including K-pop and K-dramas, and has interviewed some of the industry's biggest stars while closely tracking the rise of global pop culture. Her reporting has also taken her beyond India, where she has covered travel, culture and entertainment. Alongside her work at Hindustan Times, her bylines have appeared in several international publications. Known for her in-depth interviews, feature stories and engaging storytelling, Monica enjoys exploring the human side of entertainment. From breaking news and long-form features to music coverage, explainers and on-camera conversations with artists, she is passionate about telling stories that connect with audiences across the world.Read More