Of late, many stars have been opening up about their personal challenges. Right from Deepika Padukone, who spoke about her depression to Ileana D’cruz and Ranbir Kapoor, who voiced their concerns over anxiety and alcoholism respectively. Interestingly, all these stars chose to speak up only when their lives or careers hit a low phase.
While many appreciated the courage which the stars showed, the timing of their revelations gave rise to speculation. People wondered whether it was all a publicity stunt to gain sympathy when they were risking their saleability on the work front.
“It was really courageous of them. As a producer, I would think twice before casting someone who has confessed to being an alcoholic. What if he shows up drunk on the sets?” reasons actress and producer Lakshmi Manchu, on how such confessions can keep the actors from bagging new projects.
So, why are stars still so vocal about their feelings? Dr Sucharita, a clinical psychologist, explains, “Generally, people with such issues feel isolated from the society. Opening up and sharing their emotions makes them feel more connected. Pouring out your heart to someone has a healing effect.”
Image consultant Chetna Mehrotra says that celebrities speak up to humanise themselves. “We give undue attention to celebs in India, which puts too much pressure on them. They are now letting people know that they too face hard times in life. Social media has been a great levelling ground,” Chetna says, and adds, “The definition of vulnerability has changed. Before, it used to mean weakness, now it means courage.”
Lakshmi Manchu gives a firsthand experience of why it is important for people to know that there is more to a star than what they see on screen. “Actors reveal these things so they are not deprived of who they are. Everything is not perfect with us. I have always had weight issues, which I talk about. It is important for people to understand this. And it will happen only when we speak about it,” she says.
Earlier, film stars refused to associate themselves with anything but now, things have changed. Bijal Mamniya, also an image consultant, says, “The current generation is going through a lot of insecurities and these revelations may be coming out of loneliness. With the power to influence millions, they hope that their speaking out will inspire those in need to ask for help.”
