Ajay Devgn once opened up about his ‘phobia’ of eating with hands: ‘See…Kajol’

Ajay Devgn once admitted to having a phobia of eating with his hands, revealing that he uses a fork and knife instead. When challenged by actress Kajol to eat the smelliest, grossest, and slimiest food on Bear Grylls' show in 2021, Devgn confessed to his phobia, explaining that touching food makes his hands smell all day. Despite his aversion to eating with hands, Devgn was seen enjoying a raw fish during the show.

Dr. Sundar Krishnan, a senior consultant in internal medicine, clarified that while a phobia involves intense and persistent fear, Devgn's hesitation might be a personal preference or sensory aversion. He emphasized that a true phobia significantly impacts daily life, causing avoidance, distress, or uncontrolled anxiety. If the fear is merely a preference and does not hinder daily functioning, it is not considered a disorder.

However, if the fear becomes persistent, intense, or affects eating habits and social life, seeking professional help is recommended. Dr. Manjusha Agarwal, another internal medicine consultant, suggested a gradual approach to overcoming the fear, starting with familiar foods, maintaining hand hygiene, and practicing slow breathing.