‘Mental Health,’ these two words were considered as a taboo earlier, but today they are one of the most discussed subjects in society. There are several reasons why now a topic as sensitive as mental health is dealt with utmost care and is discussed than criticised. One of the key roles in the same has been played by Bollywood celebrities. In recent years, several prominent figures have courageously opened up about their mental health struggles. Their candid accounts, confessions of vulnerable moments, have not only broken longstanding stigmas but also paved the way for open conversations about mental well-being in India.
Times Bollywood broke the stigma about mental health
Deepika Padukone: “The thing about depression is that it’s invisible”
Deepika Padukone is one of the most influential figures of Bollywood. She spoke about depression openly on several platforms. Recently, also on Pariksha Pe Charcha, an initiative started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Deepika opened up about her struggle.
“I transitioned from school to sports, then modeling, and eventually acting. I kept pushing myself until, in 2014, I suddenly fainted. It was only later that I realized I was struggling with depression. The thing about depression is that it’s invisible—you can’t always see it. There might be people around us battling anxiety or depression, yet we may never know because, on the outside, they seem happy and normal,” shared the ‘Piku’ fame actress.
During the same discussion, she shared how her healing journey began. Fortunately for her, her mother became her confidant, her friend and support. “When my mother came to see me in Mumbai, on the day she was leaving for Bangalore, I suddenly broke down. My family asked me all sorts of questions about my work, but all I could say was, ‘I don’t know. I just feel helpless and hopeless. Mujhe jeena hi nahi hai (I don’t want to live).’ Thankfully, my mother recognized the signs and suggested I see a psychologist.”
Deepika also confessed how talking about it helps, she shared, “In our country, mental health carries a stigma, making it difficult to talk about. But as soon as I started speaking about it, I felt lighter. Anxiety, stress, and depression can affect anyone, and talking about it truly eases the burden.”
Her openness has been instrumental in encouraging others to acknowledge and address their mental health challenges.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: “I saw hell”
Another notable figure is Yo Yo Honey Singh, who faced a tumultuous period due to mental health issues. The musical artist who is known for giving the most popular party tracks, in his documentary ‘Famous,’ confessed about his struggle with bipolar disorder and psychotic symptoms. He described his battling period as a harrowing experience that deeply affected his personal and professional life.
Honey Singh confessed how it was difficult for him to differentiate between reality and hallucinations. He shared, “My brain would overwork and spiral out of control. It’s like your dreams are playing out in real life. You think random, unrelated things. Even the househelp would scare me. I would think she is laughing at me. If she was cleaning, I felt she was wiping blood off the floor. I thought I’d never be able to meet my parents again. I felt I would be trapped.”
“People say “I have been through hell”. I saw hell. I saw death, I wished for death every day. I would just spend my days sleeping, crying, and not meeting anyone. I would stare at the moon, and how it changes every night. I used to think I must have been staring at the moon for 6-7 hours, but it would only be 15 minutes. My days would not come to an end. I used to stay in a room. I used to feel that somebody was going to die. I thought perhaps I was going to die,” he added.
His confessions gave several people the courage to speak about their struggle.
Harrdy Sandhu: “I found solace in singing”
Another musical artist who is known for his charismatic looks and lovely songs opened up about his struggle with depression in a conversation with us. Everyone knows that the ‘Bijlee Bijlee’ fame singer’s first love was cricket. However, suffering an injury, he couldn’t pursue his career in the respective field. This made him fall into a dark pit. However, luckily for him, he found his solution and solace in music.
“Post my stint as a sportsman, I found solace in singing and trained for 18 hours a day in Indian classical music. Then I released my first ever album ‘This Is Hardy Sandhu’ in 2011 and ‘Soch’ in 2013; the rest as you know is history,” he shared with us.
Shaheen Bhatt: “One minute everything’s fine and the next it’s like someone turned the light off inside my head.”
Bollywood’s beloved Raani aka Alia Bhatt also confessed about mental health struggles. In her interviews, she talked about therapy, she spoke about being diagnosed with ADHD, she even opened up about ‘mom guilt.’ She even did a film ‘Dear Zindagi’ that picked up one of the most sensitive topics. However, more than talking about her issues, she breaks down every time she discusses her elder sister Shaheen Bhatt.
For the unversed, Shaheen Bhatt has been struggling with depression since her teenage days and she never hesitated in discussing the same. She has time and again used social media to open a dialogue, and with the same she touched several lives.
In one of her posts she wrote – “I’ve lived with depression on and off since I was about 13 years old. This is not a revelation or a confession. Those who know me know this about me. It’s not something I take any pains to hide, I’m not ashamed of it or particularly troubled by it. It’s just a part of who I am. I have days where I feel good and then I have days where I don’t. One minute everything’s fine and the next it’s like someone turned the light off inside my head.
I go quiet and it’s difficult to get out of bed. Like it always does the world around me loses focus and I struggle to make sense of it. Sometimes these bouts last an hour – sometimes they last days. Today, I’m on day 4. I say I live with depression rather than I struggle with it because for me (and I speak only for myself here) I don’t see why it has to be a struggle.”
She continued, “I once read an idea by an American essayist called Richard Mitchell which stayed with me; it’s now become how I try to approach the dips in my week or month. The idea is this:
To be sick, or to suffer, is inevitable. But to become bitter and vindictive in sickness and suffering and to surrender to irrationality, supposing yourself the innocent and virtuous victim of the evils intentions of the world, is not inevitable. The appropriate answer to the question – Why me? is the other question – Why not me?”
Shaheen also answered one of the most asked questions – why are you writing this? She shared, “Well, I spend a fair amount of time on social media during the course of my day and today I found myself looking for something to post because it’s been a few days since I’ve posted anything. I couldn’t find anything so I figured I’d just talk about this – how I’m doing, instead of what I’m doing. It’s as simple as that, and we could all stand to do a little more of it.”
It’s a long journey, and it will begin with a single step…
The candidness of Bollywood celebrities in discussing their mental health struggles marks a significant cultural shift in India. Their stories serve as powerful reminders that mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of their status or success. By sharing their experiences, they have not only paved the way for others to seek help but have also contributed to a more empathetic and understanding society. As these conversations continue, it is hoped that the stigma surrounding mental health will further diminish, leading to a world where seeking help is seen as a sign of strength rather than weakness.
