Anisha Padukone has spoken about the period in 2014 when her sister, actor Deepika Padukone, was dealing with anxiety and depression, saying she was unprepared to recognise what Deepika was experiencing at the time.
In a conversation with PTI, Anisha reflected on how that period reshaped her own understanding of mental health and ultimately prompted her to educate herself on the subject.
Anisha on being unprepared
Anisha told PTI, “For me personally, I was not aware enough about the signs and symptoms to be able to understand what she was really going through. The fact that we didn’t live in the same city also didn’t help, and I am really caught unaware and off guard.”
She added that Deepika’s experience became the starting point for her own mental health journey. “Her journey teaches me that I do not know enough about the subject and need to read and understand more in order to support her in the way that is required. That is also when my own mental health journey begins. I start taking better care of my mental health. As an athlete, I always focus on physical health to some extent, but not so much on mental health. The more I research and understand this subject, the more I realise that there are millions of people, not just in India but globally, going through similar experiences,” she said.
Deepika on her battle with depression
Deepika Padukone has previously spoken about her own experience at an event organised by the Live Love Laugh Foundation, describing the moment she first opened up to her family.
Deepika said, “For the longest time, I did not share it with anyone as I used to stay alone in Mumbai. When my mother came to see me in Mumbai and 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 am just feeling helpless and hopeless. Mujhe jeena hi nahin hai.’ Thankfully, my mother recognized the signs and suggested I see a psychologist. In our country, mental health carries a stigma, making it difficult to talk about. As soon as I started to talk about mental illness, it felt lighter. Anxiety, stress, and depression can affect anyone, and speaking about it truly eases the burden.”
On the work front, Deepika recently completed a shooting schedule in South Africa for King alongside Shah Rukh Khan. She also has Raaka, directed by Atlee, in the pipeline.
Also Read: Kangana Ranaut praises Deepika Padukone: “There will never be another Deepika”
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