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Journalism of Courage
Vivek Oberoi recently recounted his earlier days, opening up about tasting success followed by a career slump that made him feel “depressed.” At that time, he revealed that Akshay Kumar guided him. “This was long back when I was down and out. That time, I needed it, and he was there for me. Band baji hui thi career ki. (My career was in the slumps). Superstar Akshay Kumar called me one day and asked me about my whereabouts. I told him that I was depressed. After some half hour or so, he lands up at my house. He asked me all about my issues and let me vent out my problems and pain. He listened to me patiently. He said while he may not be able to help me much with the issues, but to have a positive mindset, he could help me with work,” Oberoi told Mirchi Plus.
Oberoi shared how the actor suggested he could “divert” the shoots and shows that came his way to Oberoi. “He told me, ‘I have a lot of shoots which I can’t do. So I will divert it to you. You start doing them’. Kya baat hai yaar. Kaun karta hai aise. (Wow! Who does this?) That helped me to go back on stage. I started seeing fans in shows, fans are cheering…so ek achi positive feeling aa gayi (I got a positive feeling) such that I was busy in rehearsals. After that, I started doing shows non-stop. And with it came money,” said Oberoi.
He also shared that his “frustration” at that time stemmed from not getting reasonable offers despite “delivering films, getting awards, nominations.” “I used to ask why was I being sidelined?” he shared.
He lauded Kumar’s efforts and said, “So, he didn’t say I will stand up for you, fight this war against the lobby. He gave me a simple, practical solution. Paise bhi aaye, feeling bhi aayi, love bhi aaya, fame bhi performance ki commitment bhi aayi, bahut mazza aaya (Money came, positivity came, love came, fame and performance commitment too). These are the things that I have deep love and gratitude for. I always wish him success. God bless him. May he be happy and healthy,” said Oberoi.
Offering practical solutions to someone dealing with depression can be beneficial as it tends to display support, respect, love, and genuine care, said Dr Santosh Bangar, senior consultant psychiatrist, Gleneagles Hospitals Parel Mumbai. “Depression can often make people feel overwhelmed and unable to tackle even simple tasks that they once enjoyed. Providing help with simple tasks like accompanying them to appointments, assisting with household chores, or guiding them to accept the professional sphere and regain a sense of control can be a good starting point,” said Dr Bangar.
By offering a listening ear, one can help someone open up about their bottled feelings and emotional turmoil. “Practical support by a family member or a friend focuses on their immediate needs, reducing the burden of isolation, self-doubt, and loneliness that are common in depression. It will evoke the feeling of being heard and make the person feel wanted,” said Dr Bangar.
However, having said that, if someone has a clinical condition, then the most significant support that can be provided is to connect them to the right experts, said clinical psychologist Kamna Chhibber.
“Depression is an illness that needs to be treated. This can be through the use of medication and/or therapy or a combination of both. Any advice or inputs should be provided in line with the treating specialists’ recommendation,” said Chhibber.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
