Deepika Padukone recalls how her mother helped in her battle with depression: ‘Mujhe jeena hi nahi hai'

Deepika Padukone discussed her battle with depression on Pariksha Pe Charcha, sharing how her mother recognized her struggles and encouraged her to seek help.

Deepika Padukone recently appeared on the latest episode of Pariksha Pe Charcha, an initiative started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spread awareness about mental health. The actor opened up about her battle with depression and revealed how she overcame it.

Deepika Padukone reveals how her mother helped her fight depression.

Deepika on battling depression

During the episode, Deepika recalled how she often felt suicidal and wanted to end her life. She said, “I transitioned from school to sports, then modeling, and eventually acting. I kept pushing myself until, in 2014, I suddenly fainted. It was only later that I realized I was struggling with depression. The thing about depression is that it’s invisible—you can’t always see it. There might be people around us battling anxiety or depression, yet we may never know because, on the outside, they seem happy and normal.”

How Deepika's mom helped her

The actor shared that she didn’t talk about her feelings for a long time and lived alone in Mumbai. She then revealed that her mother recognized the signs and came to her aid at a time when mental health was heavily stigmatized in society.

She said, “When my mother came to see me in Mumbai, on 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 just feel helpless and hopeless. Mujhe jeena hi nahi hai (I don’t want to live).’ 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. But as soon as I started speaking about it, I felt lighter. Anxiety, stress, and depression can affect anyone, and talking about it truly eases the burden.”

Deepika has been a strong advocate for mental health awareness through her Live Love Laugh Foundation. Apart from sharing her personal experience with mental illness, she also gave children tips on battling depression.

Deepika Padukone's recent work

Deepika was last seen in Singham Again. Helmed by Rohit Shetty, the film also stars Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Kareena Kapoor, and Arjun Kapoor in key roles. The film collected ₹372 crore worldwide at the box office. The actor, who recently embraced motherhood, is yet to announce her new projects.