Television and Bollywood Actresses who Suffered from Depression

Depression is still considered a taboo in India and anyone who suffers from such a condition become hesitant to talk about it openly. This is not just restricted to commoners, but actresses from the television and Bollywood industry also have undergone through the dark phase of depression in their lives. In the battle against depression, there are some actresses who have come forward in the limelight and talked about it openly to create awareness about depression. But not all people respond to mental illness in the same way. Unable to cope up with despair, many actresses have succumbed to the pressure and finally found respite in death. In this post, we have compiled a list of actresses from small screen and large screen who suffered from depression. This list includes television and bollywood actresses who suffered from depression.

Television Actresses:

• • • Rubina Dilaik: This diva from television got hitched last to Abhimanyu Shukla and we could not get enough of their wedding pictures. Rubina once posted on Instagram that her daily hectic schedule of shooting makes her go through phases of anxiety and depression. It leaves her so emotionally drained out that she feels miserable. With proper meditation and yoga routine, Rubina coped up with depression and emerged victorious. Considering the fact that she is a fitness enthusiast, workout is something she suggests to her fans to keep fit both physically and mentally.

  

  
  • • Divyajyotee Sharma: She is a well-known actress who was seen in Ekta Kapoor shows like Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. This lady had a tough journey in life and depression made things worse for her. She had always been ambitious and wanted to make big in the acting industry. After getting married, family responsibilities did not let her pursue her dreams. However, after her divorce, she gathered courage to try her luck back in the acting industry. A friend then helped her bag role in an Ekta Kapoor show, and that’s how her television journey took off. She established her base in Mumbai and became a household name post the success of her serials. While she was living the life of a housewife, Divyajyotee felt cloistered and went through a long period of depression for about 5 years. It was only after she got a break in TV industry that things changed for the better.

  

  • Harshita Gaur: Harshita Gaur’s popularity started with the show Sadda Haq. After wrapping up of the show, Harshita began battling with depression. Things became so worse that she refused to get out of the house and meet people. She didn’t have the courage to share her issues with friends or family. She became hopeless in despair and finally the tragic realisation dawned upon her that career in showbiz was nearing an end. With the help of therapist and stress consultant, she overcame her fears and realised the importance of living in the present. After almost a year of struggling with depression, she has finally got rid of it and discovered the best version of herself. Harshita now maintains a strict schedule of meditation which helps her to remain calm and composed. Her story should inspire each one of us to remain positive and motivated.

• • Ridhi Dogra: This beautiful actress has been a part of many serials like Maryada: Lekin Kab Tak? and Savitri and recently got critical acclaim for playing Nisha in Zee TV’s Woh Apna Sa. You may not be knowing this but this actress has also been a victim of depression at one point of time. She wrote about her battle with the mental illness in wikimedia. Ridhi sees herself as a creative artist and wanted to play good roles, but mediocrity didn’t let good things happen. But when good offers stopped coming her way, she became hopeless and got flustered with failures. This gave rise to depression, and things did not end here. She gave in to inexplicable mood swings, preferred living in isolation and lost interest in things around her. She considered this period as a time of self-evolution and learnt things from it and used it to her advantage to finally get rid of the situation.
  • Pratyusha Banerjee: The “Balika Vadhu” star, Pratyusha was just 24 years old when she committed suicide at her Mumbai residence in 2013. The reason of her untimely demise is said to be depression. The mental grief got to her nerves and she took the unfortunate decision to end her life. Pratyusha was dating Rahul Raj Singh at the time, and was planning to get married to him.

• • Shama Sikander: This well-known actress from the soap opera “Ye Meri Life Hai” suffered from bipolar disorder and went on a long break of four years. She always appeared sad and gloomy and did not have the slightest idea of what she was going through. Feeling hopeless, Shama even tried to commit suicide to get rid of this anxiety. However, it was her boyfriend Alexx O’ Neil who had showed the right direction to Shama first and helped her to sort things out. It was medication and meditation that helped the actress sail through the tough phase successfully.
  • Deepika Singh: This beautiful actress tasted real stardom by essaying the role of Sandhya from the soap opera “Diya Aur Bati Hum.” This actress was enjoying happy life after her marriage. She faced postpartum depression after giving birth to her child. That was the period of low energy and self-esteem for Deepika Singh, but she did not lose hope and kept trying hard to take care of her and the baby. It is her fitness routine and proper mediation that helped her tide away tough times and today Deepika is once again back to her happy self and content with her little family.
  • Daljeet Kaur: She may not be a prominent actress on TV, but she made her presence felt through a few television serials. She faced a tough marital life when she was married to actor Shaleen Bhanot. Things went downhill after a bitter divorce battle and Daljeet fell into tremendous depression. She didn’t let things end for her and bounced back with a strict fitness routine, she recovered from that period and underwent a massive change in her looks too.
  • Anita Hassanandani: This actress has been in the entertainment industry for over 20 years. Life in showbiz industry was not smooth for her. She had her share of struggles and criticisms and underwent a period of depression. Fortunately, that phase did not last long and she fought back to get rid of it. She emerged victorious and is leading a happily married life.

• Mandira Bedi: Mandira Bedi is a talented actress, anchor, a designer and a hands-on mommy. This super talented woman is multitalented. This lady tied the knot with Raj Kaushal in 1999 and became a proud mommy to a baby boy in 2011. This popular anchor was a victim of postpartum depression for about 6 weeks post giving birth, but she recovered soon and is a fitness icon who is both mentally and physically fit.
• Hazel Keech: Actress Hazel Keech, who is the star wife of cricketer Yuvraj Singh, has come out openly and talked about depression. She even published a motivating post sharing her experience while fighting depression. She wrote in detail how she faced difficulties in the pressure to fit in and the way she finally gave in to her own skin with comfort.

• • • Neha Kakkar: Neha Kakkar is a hit singer and has given has numerous chartbusters to croon on. She spoke about depression in a detailed note on instagram. In that post, she elucidated how she became strong after receiving negativities from all the wrong people. The 30-year-old singer made it very clear in the post that it was not just one person who was responsible for her pitiful state. Her words were not directed against anyone and she even urged the netizens not to be judgemental to people.
    • Deepika Padukone: The “Padmavaat” actress and now Ms. Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone is one of those rare celebs who first came out in the public talking about her battle with depression. She was at the peak of her career when she disclosed that she had been a victim of depression. This revelation created a stir in the public. friends, family, near and dear ones did extend support, but it was her mother who first got to know of her bad phase and rescued her. Deepika finally emerged as a winner and serves as a solid inspiration all those who are fighting depression. She is creating awareness about depression and mental illness. Her foundation ‘The Live, Love, Laugh Foundation’ aims to help others undergoing depression.

  

  • • Anushka Sharma: Mrs. Kohli has also been a victim of depression and she first addressed this issue openly in public in the year 2015. She has not shied away from accepting the fact that depression is a very normal thing and anybody can undergo the same. However, instead of sitting idle and doing nothing, one should seek help and take medication by consulting a doctor. She even considers it her mission to educate people about mental illness and help those in distress.

  

  • Zaira Wasim: This National Award-winning young actor, whose last great performance was seen in the movie “Secret Superstar” has come out publicly and talked about her days in depression. It was really a tough phase for her and she battled with tremendous anxiety during those days. The period extended over 4 years and took a heavy toll on her mental health. It was more of a taboo to her which made her feel in secured to talk about these things openly. The actor also described how medication, anxiety attacks, repeated hospitalisation, and other issues bogged her down. She even added that it was the people around her and the doctors who have helped her in brushing aside such thoughts so as to enjoy a happy state of mind.
  • Ileana D’Cruz: This cute beauty who works primarily in South Indian movies may have set standards for beauty in our country but life was not a bed of roses for her. In a shocking revelation, she stated that she had been a patient of depression a few years ago. In fact, she struggled with body dysmorphic disorder for about 15 years. She even mentioned that at times situations went out of control and she made her mind to end her life by committing suicide. But luckily, she is out of this phase now and has realised that ending one’s life because of depression is not the best solution.
  • Manisha Koirala: This beauty from Nepal is one of the most talented actresses in Bollywood. Manisha has seen so much in life. She was diagnosed with cancer and fought off clinical depression. Separation from her husband Samrat Dahlal also added to her bad times. But she fought cancer and depression like a strong person and proved that she is unbreakable.  She even posted a Facebook update mentioning about her depression phase and how life changed overnight from good to bad. She is certainly a huge inspiration for each one of us.
  • Asha Parekh: She is the queen of shimmying hips and the pioneer of batwing eyelids. Bollywood’s most versatile actor, Asha Parekh is one of the finest actresses that India has seen. This veteran actress was at the peak of her career from 1959 to 1973. She went through a phase of depression and felt totally alone. The death of her parents triggered the problems for her and pushed her into a dark zone. With medication and doctors’ help, she finally got out of her depressed phase and emerged victorious.

• Parveen Babi: This beautiful actress was known as a bold actress. Parveen was diagnosed with schizophrenia and clinical depression in the final years of her life. Her co-star Amitabh Bachchan from the movie “Deewar” even said that her illness worsened her mental well being. During that phase, she isolated herself from people and preferred to live a solitary life. Parveen later died with complications arising from diabetes.

Hope this article inspires those who are fighting depression. Thanks for reading and take care of your mental health.