Actress Deepika Padukone, who appeared on the sets of Amitabh Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati 13 along with actress and filmmaker Farah Khan, recently opened up about her battle with depression.
Talking about the stigma associated with depression, Deepika said, “I was diagnosed with depression in 2014. I used to feel weird that people don’t talk about it. It was a stigma and people don’t even know much about it. During that time, I realised that if I am experiencing this, then there would be many people out there facing depression as well. My ambition in life was that if I could save just one life, then my purpose was solved. We have come a long way now (sic).”
Amitabh also asked Deepika about how she realised that she was suffering from depression, to which the actress replied, “Suddenly mujhe aise laga ki mere paet mein ek ajeeb sa feeling hota tha, ek khaalipan mein mehsoos karti thi (I used to get a very weird feeling, like there was an emptiness inside me). I didn’t feel like going to work or meeting anybody. I did not want to go out. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Many times, I don’t know if I should say this but I didn’t feel like living anymore. I felt like I had no purpose (sic).”
Deepika also spoke about an instance when she had unknowingly reached out to her parents while depressed, and how her mother encouraged her to take therapy after that. “My parents had come to visit me in Mumbai from Bengaluru once. So, when they were leaving for the airport, I started crying suddenly. My mother noticed that there was something wrong with me. She felt something was off with the way I was crying. It was not the usual cry. The way I was crying, it was like a cry for help. She asked me to visit a psychiatrist. I did that and recovered after many months (sic).”
“But mental health is something that you can’t forget about even after you recover. It is something you have to take care of. I have introduced some lifestyle changes now (sic),” Deepika added.
Deepika Padukone is an active advocate for mental health and takes up several campaigns to destigmatise mental health issues. She also founded the ‘Live Love Laugh Foundation’, which aims to help those struggling with their mental health.
On the work front, Deepika Padukone has several upcoming projects lined up. She will be seen next in 83 alongside her husband, actor Ranveer Singh. She also has Shakun Batra’s untitled film with Ananya Panday and Siddhant Chaturvedi, and a film with Prabhas lined up.
The actress will also co-star in the Hindi adaptation of The Intern opposite Amitabh Bachchan, and will be seen director Siddharth Anand’s Fighter alongside actor Hrithik Roshan.