2 weeks ago
Ajay Devgn reveals eating-with-hands 'phobia' after Kajol challenge
A famous actor named Ajay Devgn once said he is scared of eating food with his hands.
He explained that he always uses a fork and knife because he worries his hands will smell like food all day.
His wife, Kajol, challenged him on a TV show with the British adventurer Bear Grylls.
She dared him to eat 'the smelliest, the grossest, slimiest thing' anyone could think of.
On the show, Devgn actually ate a raw fish.
Doctors said that not liking to eat with your hands is usually not a mental illness.
It can just be a personal choice, a worry about keeping clean, or a dislike of how food feels.
They said it becomes a problem only if the fear makes a person avoid eating or social events.
Doctors advise getting over such a fear slowly, and talking to a health expert if it causes serious anxiety.
Ajay Devgn admitted he has a 'phobia' of eating with his hands and said he always eats with a fork and knife.
Kajol challenged Devgn on Bear Grylls' show in 2021 to eat 'the smelliest, the grossest, slimiest thing.'
Devgn was later seen eating a raw fish on the show, telling Kajol, 'I'm eating!'
Dr Sundar Krishnan of KIMS Hospitals Thane said such discomfort is often a personal preference, hygiene concern, or sensory aversion, not a clinical phobia.
Experts advised gradual exposure to build comfort and seeking professional help if the fear causes serious anxiety or disrupts daily life.
- Who
- Actor Ajay Devgn, his wife Kajol, show host Bear Grylls, and physicians Dr Sundar Krishnan (KIMS Hospitals Thane) and Dr Manjusha Agarwal (Gleneagles Hospital Mumbai).
- What
- Ajay Devgn confessed to a 'phobia' of eating with his hands, and doctors discussed when such discomfort becomes a clinical concern.
- Where
- The show segment was shared via discovery+ India; expert comments came from KIMS Hospitals Thane and Gleneagles Hospital Mumbai in India.
- When
- The confession was made on Bear Grylls' show in 2021.
- Why
- Kajol challenged Devgn to eat a smelly, gross, slimy item, prompting his confession and a medical discussion of eating-with-hands fears.
Personal Preference
Clinical Phobia
Nature of the behavior
Personal Preference
Discomfort eating with hands is usually a personal preference, hygiene concern, or sensory aversion - not a disorder.
Clinical Phobia
An intense, persistent fear of eating with hands that causes active avoidance can be a genuine clinical phobia.
When to seek help
Personal Preference
If the habit does not affect diet, social life, or daily functioning, it is not a problem and no treatment is needed.
Clinical Phobia
If the fear becomes persistent, causes serious anxiety, or limits normal activities, consulting a healthcare professional is advised.
Key facts
- Actor
- Ajay Devgn
- Show
- Bear Grylls' show (2021)
- Challenger
- Kajol
- Challenge
- Eating 'the smelliest, the grossest, slimiest thing'
- What he ate
- Raw fish
- Reason cited
- Fear that his hands would smell of food all day
- Experts quoted
- Dr Sundar Krishnan (KIMS Hospitals Thane); Dr Manjusha Agarwal (Gleneagles Hospital Mumbai)
- Medical verdict
- Discomfort eating with hands is not necessarily a clinical phobia
Quotes
Dr Manjusha Agarwal
Consultant, internal medicine, Gleneagles Hospital Mumbai
“Generally speaking, a phobia consists of an intense and persistent fear or anxiety that is out of proportion to the real circumstances and can cause a person to actively avoid the situation.”
indianexpress.com
“Starting with familiar foods, maintaining proper hand hygiene, practising slow breathing, and slowly reducing avoidance can help build comfort.”
indianexpress.com
Ajay Devgn
Bollywood actor and film director
“So, I have this problem.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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