Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has spoken out about the growing stigma around modern medications used to treat metabolic disorders and support weight loss, especially in India. Known for his candid discussion of his own health journey, Mehta recently asked on his X (formerly Twitter) account: “Why has Ozempic or Mounjaro become such a bad word? Why are people ashamed to talk about using modern medicine to manage their health… to control diabetes, improve metabolism, lose dangerous visceral fat — all under expert supervision, alongside exercise and diet?”
A Personal Health Journey
In May 2025, Mehta revealed that he had been using Mounjaro—a medication primarily for type 2 diabetes that also aids weight loss—under medical supervision. He shared that he lost nearly 10 kg by combining the drug with high-protein meals, intermittent fasting, strength training, and reduced sugar and alcohol.
Challenging the Stigma of Treatment
Mehta criticised how society often views the use of such medications as ‘cheating,’ while celebrating silent struggle as discipline. “It’s helping millions live healthier, longer, more active lives. It’s not f***ing cocaine,” he wrote. “These medications aren’t vanity tools. They are life-saving interventions for metabolic disorders that traditional diets and workouts alone can’t always fix.”
Emphasising Responsibility and Balance
The filmmaker emphasised that using medication must come alongside lifestyle changes, and urged public conversation around balance rather than shame: “The real conversation should be about balance, awareness, and guidance. Not stigma.”
Expert Views & Media Context
Medical reports list medications such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Ozempic (semaglutide) among treatment tools for type 2 diabetes and weight management. Analysts say their popularity has grown, but emphasise they are not standalone solutions and should be used under professional oversight.
Pressing for Open Dialogue
By being open about his own treatment and outcomes, Hansal Mehta hopes to shift the narrative and encourage others to see medical help as a legitimate and supported part of health journeys—rather than something to hide.
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