Deepika Padukone opens up about her struggle with depression and anxiety

January 15, 2015

Deepika Padukone

Mumbai, Jan 15: Believe it or not, but at the peak of her career in 2014, actress Deepika Padukone struggled with depression and anxiety.

Deepika Padukone has made this revelation to Hindustan Times, saying that psychological help combined with right medication helped her tide over the bouts of depression.

Here are some excerpts from Deepika’s candid talk about depression.

In early 2014, while I was being appreciated for my work, one morning, I woke up feeling different. A day earlier, I had fainted due to exhaustion; it was all downhill from there. I felt a strange emptiness in my stomach.

I thought it was stress, so I tried to distract myself by focusing on work, and surrounding myself with people, which helped for a while. But the nagging feeling didn’t go away. My breath was shallow, I suffered from lack of concentration and I broke down often.

Over a period of time, it got worse. When my parents visited, I would put up a brave front because they were worried about me living alone and working long hours.

Then, once, while talking to my mother (Ujjala Padukone), I broke down. She realised the problem, and got in touch with a psychologist friend, Anna Chandy, to get to the root of the cause.

Every morning, it was a struggle to wake up, and shoot for Happy New Year’s (HNY; 2014) climax. Finally, I had a word with Anna aunty. She flew to Mumbai from Bengaluru, and I talked my heart out to her. She concluded that I was suffering from anxiety and depression.

When she suggested I take medication, I was resistant. I thought talking was enough. Later, I met another psychologist, Dr Shyam Bhatt, in Bengaluru for a second opinion.

There were days when I would feel okay, but at times, within a day, there was a roller-coaster of feelings. Finally, I accepted my condition. The counselling helped, but only to an extent. Then, I took medication, and today I am much better.

Deepika revealed more about her struggle with depression. You can read it all here on HT.

The Happy New Year actress also revealed that she is working on an initiative to create awareness about anxiety and depression with the aim of helping people who suffer from it.

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News Network
July 16,2020

Washington, Jul 16: Actor Chris Evans, better known as 'Captain America', made a six-year-old boy's day by sending him a personalised video message lauding his heroic act of saving his younger sister from a dog attack.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the aunt of the young boy (Bridger Walker from Cheyenne) posted on Instagram the story of how the boy saved his sister on July 9 and was horribly injured in the process.

She shared the story on the photo-sharing platform on Sunday and also posted few photos featuring the brother-sister duo as well as pictures of the injuries on Walker's face.

"After receiving 90 stitches (give or take) from a skilled plastic surgeon, he's finally resting at home," wrote the aunt (Nikki Walker).
"We love our brave boy and want all the other superheroes to know about this latest hero who joined their ranks," she added.

Moved by the young boy's story, Evans made a direct video message appreciating the boy for what he did, and how he is no less than a superhero.

He also promised to send the young kid an authentic 'Captain America' shield as a reward for his selfless, heroic act.

Evans' video message to the young boy was shared by the aunt on her Instagram profile.
In the video, Evans is saying, "Pal, you're a hero, what you did was so brave, so selfless -- your sister is so lucky to have you as a big brother.

Your parents must be so proud of you," Evans said in a video message that the family shared Wednesday. "Keep being the man you are, we need people like you. Hang in there, I know recovery might be tough, but based on what I've seen, I don't think there's much that can slow you down."

Towards the end, the 39-year-old actor told the boy he was sending the 'Captain America' shield to him, as the world needs more bravehearts like the little boy.

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News Network
July 27,2020

Mumbai, Jul 27: Reel life villain Sonu Sood turned real life hero once again, this time by gifting a tractor on Sunday to a farmer in a remote village in Andhra Pradesh to help him till the land. The actor came up with the gift after coming through a video clip on Twitter wherein a tomato farmer in Madanapalle in Chittoor district was seen ploughing the land with his two daughters carrying the yoke on their shoulders.

In his instant reaction, Sood promised a pair of ox to the farmer, but later said the family deserved a tractor. "So sending you one. By evening a tractor will be ploughing your fields. Stay blessed," Sood, who acted as a villain in numerous Telugu films, said in a tweet.

True to his word, a new tractor was delivered to the elated farmer Nageswara Rao at his Mahalrajupalle village by Sunday night. Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu, who belongs to Chittoor district, hailed the actor's gesture.

"Spoke with @sonusood ji and applauded him for his inspiring effort to send a tractor to Nageswara Rao's family in Chittoor district. Moved by the plight of the family, I have decided to take care of the education of the two daughters and help them pursue their dreams," Naidu said in a tweet.

Rao's elder daughter completed her Intermediate while the second one passed Class 10. Rao used to run a tea stall in Madanapalle before coronavirus left him out of business. He returned to his native Mahalrajupalle village to take up agriculture once again.

Given his penury, he could not hire either a pair of bulls or a tractor to till the land, when his daughters volunteered to help him on the chores. Their plight went viral on social media following which the actor stepped in with help.

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News Network
June 8,2020

Mumbai, Jun 8: Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar has won the 2020 Richard Dawkins Award for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values.

Akhtar has become the first Indian to be given the honour, which recognises a distinguished individual from the field of science, scholarship, education, or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism and upholding scientific truth.

Akhtar's wife, veteran actor Shabana Azmi said the award's relevance becomes more prominent especially in the current times when secularism is under attack.

"I am thrilled. I know what a hero Richard Dawkins has been for Javed. The award gains all the more significant because in today’s time when secularism is being attacked by religious fundamentalists of all hues, this award comes as a validation of Javed’s long service to rational thinking," Azmi told PTI.

The award is named after world-renowned English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. Actor-comedian Ricky Gervais received the honour last year.

Bollywood celebrities Anil Kapoor and Dia Mirza took to Twitter to congratulate the 75-year-old writer for the recognition.

"Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read 'The Selfish Gene', the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It's a truly incredible honour! Congratulations!" Kapoor tweeted.

Dia said Akhtar's win is a proud moment for rhe country.

"Javed Akhtar Saab has won the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma upto scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud," Dia wrote.

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