Vishnu Vishal says he still feels ‘empty’ post Gatta Kusthi 2 success, reveals battling depression: ‘What was it for?’

Tamil actor Vishnu Vishal, who's married to badminton player Jwala Gutta, spoke about battling an autoimmune disorder and depression.

Tamil actor Vishnu Vishal is fresh off the success of Gatta Kusthi 2. Criticism of the film’s misogynistic themes aside, it collected over ₹55 crore worldwide and is currently streaming on Netflix. Vishnu, however, states that nothing has changed for him post its success. He also revealed battling anxiety and depression with medication, as well as an autoimmune disorder.

Vishnu Vishal says the success of Gatta Kusthi 2 did not change much for him personally and professionally.

Vishnu Vishal says it’s not a call for sympathy

Vishnu has, of late, faced constant criticism for discussing his struggles in the film industry in interviews, despite his success. So, he began a long note he penned on X (formerly Twitter) with, “Before we begin, I would like to clarify that this is not a call for sympathy, and is just an aggregation of my thoughts over the years.” He further wrote about how he experienced depression first in 2018 and made it public in 2020. “It’s 2026 now. Eight years have passed. A lot has changed. But some things, surprisingly, remain the same,” he further wrote.

Hope of ‘settling down’ and being stable

Vishnu wrote that ever since he entered the film industry, he had hope that things would ‘settle down’ and he would have a ‘stable life’. “I was always a big introvert, so adapting to this industry, to people, to the constant uncertainty and to the emotional highs and lows was challenging and, at times, painful,” he wrote. The actor wrote that after Ratsasan (2018), he believed he was getting what he wanted, but he faced a personal setback that led to depression and anxiety. He says he has since focused on his career, hoping a blockbuster would change everything he was feeling.

Growing anxiety after COVID-19 pandemic

“Then came COVID and the uncertainty that followed. My anxiety only grew,” wrote Vishnu, adding, “I didn’t give up. I fought back and gave big successes in FIR and Gatta Kusthi post-COVID, and I thought, “Okay… now everything will be fine.” But the next few years brought their own challenges.” Vishnu reveals that he wasted time on the word of filmmakers, who didn’t even pay him for making him ‘sit idle for months’. “I kept believing that relationships were more important and that the money would eventually come, so I continued to sacrifice, only to realise that the extra time and work were never going to be compensated.”

Vishnu also says that running a production house and ensuring everyone was paid on time added to the financial pressure he was already facing. “The anxiety kept increasing and it evolved into an auto-immune condition,” he wrote, adding, “Over these eight years, I have had multiple counselling sessions. For the last three years especially, I have been very regular with therapy. I have also taken medication for anxiety and depression on a few occasions, under professional guidance.”

Says nothing has changed post Gatta Kusthi 2 success

Vishnu said that while 17 years in the film industry taught him the importance of being paid what he deserved, that people don’t stick to their word, and where his fears stem from, he still believed a hit would change everything again. “I again refused to give up and give in. And here I am, two months after the huge success of Gatta Kusthi 2. And...NOTHING HAS CHANGED.” The actor reveals that every time he tastes success, he feels ‘happy, relieved and fulfilled’ but only momentarily.

“And then, somehow, I am back to the same anxious mind. The same emptiness. The same feeling that I need to achieve something else,” he wrote. Vishnu revealed that he wanted to be a cricketer when he was 13, and somewhere along the way, he lost ‘beautiful moments’ in the quest for success. “I missed special family occasions. I missed time with people I love. I went the extra mile without thinking enough about money. I didn’t save enough when I could have. I compromised on my health at times.”

Wanting to walk away from cinema

Now, at 42, Vishnu looks back and sees that his parents have aged, his son is 9, his relationship with his first wife, Rajini Natraj, has ‘grown beautifully’, and he has a ‘loving and caring wife’ in badminton player Jwala Gutta, as well as a beautiful daughter. He wrote that he wondered about quitting cinema for a ‘simple life’. “Then another thought comes…What was all the struggle for?”

The actor wrote that he realised the answer isn’t in quitting cinema but in not postponing life. He ended his note by urging fans not to forget to live their lives as they pursue their dreams. He also urged those battling anxiety and depression to seek the help they need.