The death of Sushant Singh Rajput by suicide has left everyone shocked and forced us once again to take mental health as seriously as any other health issue.
Hours after the news became public, actress Deepika Padukone, who did a special dance number in the Sushant-starrer Raabta in 2017, highlighted the importance of "reaching out" in order to fight depression.
"As a person who has had a lived experience with mental illness, I cannot stress enough about the importance of reaching out. Talk. Communicate. Express. Seek help. Remember, you are not alone. We are in this together. And most importantly, there is Hope," wrote Deepika, a mental health advocate and founder of Live Love Laugh, a foundation against depression.
On Sunday, the 34-year-old actor was found hanging in his Bandra residence by his domestic help. Police confirmed that he has died by suicide.
The actor was reportedly battling depression over the past few months and was also undergoing treatment for the same. His social media posts from the past couple of months reveal that he even tried yoga and meditation to battle his state of mind.
After starting his career with television, where he gave an award-winning performance in soap opera Pavitra Rishta, Sushant made his Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che! (2013). The actor was last seen in Chhichhore (2019) but the one performance with which he touched millions of hearts was when he played the titular role in biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016). His latest film, Dil Bechara, Hindi adaptation of John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars, was slated for May 8, 2020 release and according to reports, there were talks that the movie would release online.
It is to also note that earlier in the week, Disha Salian, Sushant Singh Rajput's ex-manager had reportedly committed suicide by jumping off from the 14th floor of her apartment in Malad, Mumbai.