“Kai Po Che”​-Sushant…!!!

Our real self is hidden deep down inside

Layers of mask we put to maintain our pride

 Some to please our friends and family

Some to hide our pain and agony

 Some we wear longing for acceptance

Some to show, others our rock-solid endurance

 Only the close ones know our real self, hidden deep inside

During our difficult times we must keep them by our side…!!!

–      Gunjan Kapoor

I had penned these lines few days back and pondering how relevant these are today. Just as everyone, I too am shocked to read the news about Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput committing suicide at his Mumbai residence. It is difficult to know the feeling one goes through before taking such a drastic step and I have no words to express the sadness level that I feel today. The last movie he had acted was “Chhichhore”. In the movie he hadplayed the role of an inspiring, positivity-filled, middle-aged father who leaves no stones unturned in bringing his son out his suicidal thoughts and showing him that there is always hope! The movie also talked about how important it is to accept and deal with failure Being a fan of his work, I had watched the movie in the theater and remember the conversation me and my husband had, that we will not try to put any sort of pressure on our kids on what career they should pursue. Irony of the situation, that it did not inspire him enough to come out of his negative thoughts makes me heartbroken.

As human beings we are wired to connect with others. We all have a need to talk about our feelings and thoughts with our loved ones rather than keeping it to ourselves. Sadly, these days it is the electronic devices (smartphones to a greater extent) that give us the comfort of being easily accessible all the time.

Mental health issues are not a person’s mood but something more at a deeper level. In the past various actors including Brad Pitt, Trevor Noah and Deepika Padukone have openly

talked about depression and mental illness. Real strength lies in talking about it openly and reaching out.

I personally feel that being sensitive, compassionate, and reaching out to those struggling is very important. We do not need suicides to remind us that mental health matters. It is important for people to feel valued and being cared for specially during such unprecedented times that we all are in today.

Sushant had made his debut in Bollywood with the movie “Kai Po Che” which originally is a Gujarati phrase meaning “I have Cut” used to express cutting off competitor’s kites.

“Kai Po Che” -Sushant you have cut off your ties from the world…!!!

May your soul find eternal peace…Om Shanti…!!