Mona
As the four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka pulled out of the French Open tennis championship over the press boycott, it once again raises the big question whether successful stars find it tough to deal with mental health challenges?
Covid times have been a nightmare for the emotional and psychological health of people. The slew of suicides that one has seen in Hindi entertainment industry is a glaring example of that.
Is it lonely at the top? Does success take one away from friends and family? “I partially agree,” says actor Amitt K Singh. “Long working hours keep you away from the family and also staying connected with friends gets difficult.”
British-Asian pop-star Arzutraa, who sings in Hindi, Punjabi and English, opines, “I have lost touch with most of my friends and family; I just can’t connect with them. We have nothing in common. I am like an outcast among my extended family. Almost everyone wants to be your friend due to the fame factor, but I can only relate to artistes.”
Depression is rife
The common belief is that people from the entertainment industry are more prone to depression, but actress Puja Agarwal thinks otherwise, “Statistics and reports put India in the top five most depressed countries in the world! Every 10th person in India is suffering from anxiety or depression.” She believes whether one is associated with the entertainment industry or not, stress and depression are fast becoming common. “It’s not about the industry; it’s about the nature of the person.”
Actor Arun Mandola agrees, “Actors are always in the limelight. When our situation comes out in public, people start talking about it and we become easy targets. Many have taken drastic steps too, so I feel these judgements should stop.”
His actor friend Sandeep Nahar’s suicide left Arun shattered. “Sandeep was getting good work in Bollywood, yet something was bothering him; I wish I knew and could help in time.”
After the announcement of the film Suicide Or Murder, actress Shwetta Parashar got lots of love from fans, but also threats. “Recognition comes with certain negativity — death and rape threats; abusive comments and more. I did feel bad for a moment, but decided to focus on the love I got and that helped me remain calm.”
The way out
“It is absolutely in our hands to control our thinking and actions. But for that, the right vision and thought is needed,” says Amitt, whose spiritual inclination helps him stay grounded. “Talking about personal issues always gives you more courage to deal with pressing matters,” believes Sanjay Gagani, who plays Prithvi in the show Kundali Bhagya.
Opines Arzutraa, “I’m all for mental health awareness, but I’m against making it look like it’s just a fad and something that can be treated easily. Mental health needs long-term thought.” She wishes to set up a foundation for helping those who are lonely or suffering in silence. “There are many out there who have no one to talk to and there’s little help they get. With humans spending more time on Zoom, there’s less face-to-face interaction and that really concerns me because it’s going to make people lonelier.”
It’s okay to be not okay
Support has poured in for Naomi Osaka from across the globe. “Hey Naomi, you are right, they are wrong. I am with you,” posted actor Will Smith in a hand-written note on social media. “Proud of her for exercising this amount of self-care even in the face of huge opposition,” tweeted actress Sanaa Lathan. “It’s incredibly brave that Naomi Osaka has revealed the truth about her struggle with depression...,” posted Tennis icon Billie Jean King. Lately, many celebs have opened up on mental health issues. Last month, Grammy award-winner Ariana Grande posted on her Instagram account, “Here’s to ending the stigma around mental health… Healing isn’t linear, fun, quick or easy, but we are here and we’ve got to commit to making this time as healthy, peaceful and beautiful as possible…”