18 June, 2025 (Yes Punjab News)
As glamorous as the entertainment industry’s facade is, it often masks the very real struggles that celebrities face behind the scenes.
And in what we can term ‘the change of the tide’, Bollywood stars in the last couple of years, have broken the silence around mental health and braved the risk of judgement, by sharing their personal battles with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges.
And their openness has helped reduce stigma and encouraged countless others to seek help.
Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone became one of the first major Bollywood actresses to openly discuss her battle with depression when she spoke about it in 2015. Despite being at a professional high with back-to-back successful films, Deepika opened up about how she experienced deep emptiness and even had suicidal thoughts.
At the 2020 World Economic Forum, she revealed, “Mental illness happened to me when I had least expected it. I was at a professional high, my movies were doing great”. Her courage in sharing this experience led her to establish the Live Love Laugh Foundation, which focuses on mental health awareness and support.
Shah Rukh Khan
Even the ‘King’ of Bollywood has been remarkably open about his struggles with depression, particularly during difficult periods in his life. Shah Rukh Khan has often spoken candidly about how success didn’t shield him from mental health challenges, and his forthcoming approach to the mental health conversation has helped normalize this subject in the industry.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt has opened up about dealing with recurring bouts of anxiety, joining the younger generation of actors, in speaking candidly about mental health. Her openness has resonated particularly well with younger audiences who look up to her.
Kaveri Kapur
Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur’s daughter recently opened up about her long-standing battle with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In heartfelt social media posts, she shared her personal experiences and coping mechanisms, including a unique strategy of personifying her intrusive thoughts as ‘Bob’.
Her openness has shed the light on the often-misunderstood realities of OCD, which goes far beyond simple habits to include intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors. She revealed, “I’m having a rough night. My OCD is really acting up” and explained how she’s developed ways to manage her condition over the years.
Ananya Panday
Another of the GenZ stars to have openly discussed how social media trolling and cyberbullying affected her mental health, Ananya revealed that she had stared taking therapy. She revealed that the intense negativity she faced during her early career years took a significant toll. “I would just feel very, very down,” she recalled.
Ananya has spoken about how online hate comments overwhelmed her and made her break down frequently. Her experience highlights the mental health challenges faced by celebrities in the digital age and the importance of seeking professional help when needed.
Ileana D’Cruz
Ileana has been vocal about her struggles with body dysmorphia and depression, particularly highlighting how body image issues can significantly impact mental health.
Her honest confession resonated with many people, especially women, who felt understood by her admission. She credited therapy and relied on the support of her friends and family in order to better deal with BDD and the ensuing depression and anxiety that she battled.
Varun Dhawan
Part of the newer generation of Bollywood actors, Varun Dhawan opened up about his mental health struggles and placed an emphasis on how even celebrities were prone to depression and anxiety.
Recalling how he was slipping into a dark mental space during the filming of one of his movies, Varun acknowledged that he had got to the point where though not clinically diagnosed, he was “heading there” and eventually sought medical help.
Varun speaking up, has helped alleviate the stigma around mental health. This has also led to Varun often stressing and promoting the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Anushka Sharma
Anushka Sharma has spoken about her experiences with anxiety, and how she wants to help take away the shame from this and normalise the mental health disorder. She said in a magazine interview, “I have anxiety. And I’m treating my anxiety.
I’m on medication for my anxiety.” She has stressed on how it is a completely normal issue to be having, and has been instrumental in encouraging people to talk openly about it. Her discussions have indeed helped normalize conversations about mental health among working professionals.
Karan Johar
Karan Johar being transparent about his battle with depression and anxiety, was a huge revelation, especially when he also confessed to being on anti-anxiety medication. “There was a phase in my life when I was really depressed.
When I went through that phase, I thought I was having a cardiac arrest”. Karan has also often emphasized on the importance of seeking professional help and how it has helped him deal with his mental health struggles.
Ira Khan
Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira, has been vocal about her struggles with clinical depression, representing the younger generation’s more open approach to mental health discussions.
Her social media posts about therapy and mental health have reached millions of young followers, who applaud her for her efforts to not only normalize talking about mental health struggles, but also spread awareness.
These celebrities haven’t just shared their stories, but have attempted to re-write the rules of strength and vulnerability for an entire generation. Their conversations have helped normalise a topic so stigmatised by society, and the ‘shame’ that comes with it, is gradually becoming a beacon of strength for many.
FOLLOW NOW
