Deepika Padukone's sister Anisha recalls being unaware of actor's depression: ‘Was caught off guard’

Anisha Padukone admits she was unaware of sister Deepika Padukone's mental health challenges.

Deepika Padukone has been open about her struggle with mental health, and recently, her sister and professional golfer Anisha Padukone shared how she was unaware of her sister's mental health struggles for quite some time.

Anisha Padukone spoke about Deepika Padukone's mental health.

'Was not aware of what she was going through'

Speaking to PTI, Anisha said, "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 not help, and I am really caught unaware and off guard. Her (Deepika Padukone) 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."

She added, “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."

'I don’t want to live'

Earlier, while speaking at her Live Love Laugh Foundation event, Deepika spoke about her battle with depression and how her mother came to her rescue. She 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 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. 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."

Deepika's upcoming films

Deepika will next be seen in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer King. She also stars in Raaka, directed by Atlee, alongside Allu Arjun in the lead role.