I don’t think I'm completely over it: Deepika Padukone on battling depression

Actor expressed how she fears a relapse

It’s no secret that Padmavati actor Deepika Padukone was going through depression. However, what has surprised us is the fact that the star has recently admitted that she may still be battling the disorder, reported India.com.

At the India Economic Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, the 31-year old voiced her thoughts regarding the stigma around mental illness. She expressed how difficult her previous battle with depression had been and that she fears a relapse.

“I don’t think I can say that I’m completely over it (depression). There is always a fear at the back of my mind that I might have a relapse because it has been such a bad experience for me” she shared.

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When asked whether she thinks her honesty regarding her mental health ever cost her a film she said, “Maybe there are people who haven’t offered me films because they think I was depressed and I can’t act. Maybe, I don’t know…”

She continued, “I’m in a good space because I can choose the movies that I want to act in, but I don’t think everyone has that luxury of where they want to work or when they want to work."

Deepika went on to speak about how the situation can be rectified within the country. “A large part of the stigma comes from the fact that we (just) talk about physical education in schools. I had physical education in my school, but we didn’t talk about mental health.”

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“It’s not a part of the curriculum. If we included that in the curriculum and introduced the idea or the importance of mental health at school level, there will be no stigma,” she added.

The Bajirao Mastani star founded The Live Love Laugh foundation for people who are fighting depression. Moreover, the actor went on to say, "Policymakers and people at workplaces ought to understand, recognise and normalise depression so that those suffering from it can confide and speak about it more openly, without any fear of losing their jobs.”

Speaking about her decision to be open about the illness, the star expressed, “I didn’t really think about it at the time. The idea was to change the way people in India and the world see mental illness,” she highlighted.

On the work front, Deepika will next be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati. She also shot for a cameo role in Anand L Rai’s film in which Shah Rukh Khan will play a dwarf.

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