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There are those that speak about mental health because they are able to, now it’s fashionable, or has a PR benefit, that it’s ok, and there are those who speak about it because they have lived it, and were nearly consumed by it, and felt that it’s better to tell than to maintain a pristine public image, and then suffer in silence, because, it was nearly at the cost of everything.
Deepika Padukone is squarely in the latter. One of the most successful and recognizable actresses from India of her generation; a woman who has made a career for herself across two industries- Bollywood and Hollywood, has been named one of the most influential people in the world, and at what seemed like the pinnacle of her career was dealing with such profound depression that making it through the day felt like her biggest task.
Her interview on Figuring Out with Ankur Warikoo is one of the most valuable conversations about mental health we have in the Indian digital space-a conversational account that is specific, candid, and backed not by theory but by an arduous journey.
The Beginning – When Everything Looks Perfect and Nothing Feels Right
Deepika Padukone begins by discussing the year 2014, when she chose to speak publicly about her battle with depression and how it came about.
She was already one of the most famous faces in Indian cinema, one of the biggest box-office draws of the year, one half of a very high-profile relationship that seemed perfectly happy on the outside, and had the life that many people in her position would have described as all she had ever dreamed of having-And yet, she could barely pull herself out of bed.
Her description is vividly particular-the void she experienced, the inability to feel any pleasure for anything she once enjoyed so dearly, the fatigue that wouldn’t lift, no matter how much she slept-and the immense difficulty of even beginning to understand it all because so much of it seemed to make no sense, considering her circumstances.
This discrepancy between outer appearance and inner state is one of the most significant messages she conveys-Depression is not something that needs a compelling cause to occur; it does not occur in proportion to the hardship of your current reality; it shows up, and must be attended to, no matter how much you feel you ought to have been able to handle it.
Asking for Help – The Most Courageous Decision
Most of the conversation seems to be spent on what it actually took to get Deepika to ask for help – and what made her wait until she did.
She is upfront about the specific barriers to treatment. There is still very much a stigma surrounding mental health in Indian society-there’s that inclination to talk about mental challenges in terms of failure and to tell people to just ‘ think positive ‘ or ‘ focus on the positives ‘ of life. Additionally, for someone like Deepika, there’s also the question of public profile and how disclosing a mental health problem will impact her career and public persona.
What broke down these barriers eventually was that realization ( with her mother’s help) that what she was experiencing was not something she could work her way out of or tackle by willpower. What she needed was professional help, just as a physical illness requires it.
She describes what it took to finally begin the process: finding a good therapist, actually starting the process and going to therapy, and seeing a gradual, yet true improvement. She also clarifies that treatment is not a ‘ cure ‘ so much as managing a condition requiring ongoing attention and care, but the difference that it made to her life compared to before treatment was, in her own words, ” the difference between being alive and merely surviving “.
The Live Love Laugh Foundation – Turning Pain Into Purpose
Launched by Deepika Padukone in 2015, the year after her public coming out, the Live Love Laugh Foundation is dedicated to de-stigmatizing mental health and increasing access to mental health resources in India.
She shares what prompted that move, not just the urge to help others but the acknowledgment that she has something unique and valuable to contribute because of her own experience. She went through it. She got help. She’s proof that recovery is real. If speaking publicly about that journey helped just 1% of the people suffering in silence to ask for it, the vulnerability was worth it.
Ankur Warikoo dives into the detail, inquiring about the actual programmes that the Foundation runs, the gaps that she’s seen in India’s mental health infrastructure and what actual progress in this sector would look like. This is a much deeper dive into something other than a celebrity mental health endorsement.
The Practice That Changes Everything: Self-awareness
One section of the discussion covers self-awareness and Deepika Padukone’s definition of it has been informed by an experience unlike most – being profoundly out of touch with herself and then painstakingly reconstructing her connection to her inner life through therapy and dedicated effort.
She discusses the practices that she’s leaned on through the years in order to develop her self-awareness: Therapy, journaling and consistently checking in on how she is actually feeling as opposed to how she is supposed to feel. She’s honest that self-awareness is not a finish line but something that needs continuous effort.
She also discusses how her own sense of self-awareness has re-shaped her approach to her work, enabling her to make decisions about projects to pursue, people to invest time in and managing her energy levels that are both more mindful and authentically driven.
What Success Truly Is
One of the more contemplative parts of the interview focuses on what success truly looks like, and Deepika Padukone’s answer stems from an experience that most successful people never have: realizing that achievement in the outside world does not always lead to peace within.
She traces how her definition of success has shifted over time, from quantifying external accomplishments like film box office and awards to something more lasting. Having something she looks forward to in her day. Being present in her relationships instead of acting within them. Creating something meaningful through the Foundation, work or her personal life.
Ankur Warikoo articulates a similar observation that he’s witnessed: People who actually find fulfillment and satisfaction in success have often undertaken the hard work of identifying and embracing their own values separate from external societal expectations. That inner clarity is indeed an accomplishment. It’s what transforms success from merely a next benchmark on a never-ending to-do list into an actual feeling of being successful.
About Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone is one of the most acclaimed and recognized actresses from India with some notable films to her name such as Padmaavat, Piku, Bajirao Mastani and Xxx: Return of Xander Cage-the movie that marked her debut in Hollywood. She is also the founder of the Live Love Laugh Foundation, an NGO focused on increasing awareness about mental health issues and promoting mental healthcare in India. She has been regularly featured as one of the world’s most influential women in Forbes magazine and TIME magazine.
Deepika Padukone Social Media Accounts
- Deepika Padukone Instagram Account
- Deepika Padukone Twitter/X Account
- Live Love Laugh Foundation Website
- Deepika Padukone Facebook Page
Why This Episode is a Must-Watch
This is one of those episodes to watch if you have, are currently suffering from or are close to someone going through depression and/or anxiety, and if you wish to see what authentic mental health advocacy can truly look like on the ground. Deepika’s specificity and her unflinching honesty is not something you’d see everyday and in that lie’s its truest worth.
In Conclusion
This episode onFiguring Outwith Deepika Padukone is arguably one of the most significant discussions Indian digital content has seen thus far. Its normalisation of experiencing mental health problems is perhaps going to shift one person’s decision to get help, and that in itself should be enough to not just watch it, but to pass it on to all those who might benefit.
1. Who is Deepika Padukone?
Deepika Padukone is one of India’s top actresses and founder of the Live Love Laugh Foundation, focused on mental health awareness and access within India.
2. What does the podcast cover?
The episode will discuss her struggle with depression, how she chose to seek help, the Live Love Laugh Foundation, self-care practices and how she understands success in non-career and non-material aspects.
