They say, ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. For author Arjun Sen, this wasn’t just a proverbial phrase but a way of life. Diagnosed with terminal cancer at 32, and with doctors telling him that he had only 100 days to survive, the high-flying corporate executive didn’t just fight for survival; he found a purpose, especially for the most important person in his life: his daughter, Raka Sen.
“Initially, I was freaking out. Later, a question popped up: How do I find a doctor and a hospital that can give me a better chance? When you seek help, all of a sudden, life changes and you realise you are not alone,” he shares, during his conversation with CE in Bengaluru.
This personal journey of his survival led him to write a memoir, Raising a Father in 2009, originally written for his daughter as a Christmas gift. Topics around fatherhood, healing, and resilience re-entered conversations after filmmaker Shoojit Sircar decided to turn the memoir into a film. Released in 2024, I Want To Talk saw actor Abhishek Bachchan portraying Sen’s character. The heart of both the book and the film lies in a simple yet deep question his daughter once raised: “If you die, who will dance at my wedding?” That moment, he says, broke through the noise of his career-driven life to see what really mattered. “It became my goal as a dad to put the best effort to be there for her.”
Raising a Father underwent a transformation when his daughter read it. “She began correcting the ‘facts’, he laughs, adding, “That’s when I realised that her perception is real and I needed to take responsibility for the parts I couldn’t see then. That changed everything.”
Watching I Want To Talk was a surreal experience for Sen, though he clearly understood the difference between reel and real. “The audience knows ‘I’ make it in the movie, but in real life, things were different. There were no retakes; one wrong decision by a doctor could have been the end,” he says. Sen praises Bachchan’s portrayal, noting it to be a deeply empathetic one. “He didn’t just play the role, he took the time to understand me. It was cool to watch it up close.”
Released not too long ago, Sen’s other book, Unquit Forever: Keep Yourself In The Game, shares his story of resilience. Bringing the essence of the book to people through intimate conversations and interactive sessions, he has now embarked on a Unquit Movement tour, which started in the city recently. Through the tour, he aims to help individuals navigate life’s challenges - from health battles to mental health challenges. At the core, he believes in community and kindness, stating, “We all fall. What matters is getting back up and being there when someone else needs help standing.”
Reaffirming his plans to attend and enjoy his daughter’s wedding, he adds, “I may not dance much, but I’ll be there embarrassing her by cracking dad jokes like any good father should.”