On World Mental Health Day today, we take a look at celebrities who have opened up about the importance of conversations around mental well-being, and have time and again reiterated about how seeking help should be a casual conversation. From Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt to Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan, these actors have been advocating for mental health since long.
Deepika Padukone:
Deepika has been an advocate for mental health awareness ever since she decided to open up about her struggles with clinical depression in 2015. The Piku star also spoke about how counselling and medications helped her during this phase. Deepika went on to found Live Love Laugh, an organisation to help those struggling with mental health. She has always encouraged more and more people to open up and speak about their mental health. In 2025, Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare announced Deepika as their first-ever Mental Health Ambassador. Previously, in 2020, after Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide, Deepika had written on social media, “As a person who has had a lived experience with mental illness, I cannot stress enough about the importance of reaching out. Talk. Communicate. Express. Seek help. Remember, You are not alone. We are in this together. And most importantly, there is Hope.”
Alia Bhatt:
Alia has also opened up about her struggles with ADHD and anxiety. The actor, who appeared on Jay Shetty’s podcast last year, spoke about her mental health and has since then discussed it on multiple occasions. Talking about her mental health in the podcast, Alia shared that it is a constant “work in progress”. She also admitted that “I go for therapy once a week, which helps me clear my mind.” About her battle with ADHD and anxiety, she shared, “I find myself in various moments where my emotions are getting the better of me…Sometimes, just being aware of your own internal processes and internal transitions…helps you get through the difficult moment. Of course, support definitely helps.” In another interview with The Lallantop in 2025, Alia again spoke about getting “zoned out from a young age”. She then admitted, “I did a psychological test and found out that I am high on the ADHD spectrum. I have ADHD – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder…”
Hrithik Roshan:
The actor has, on multiple occasions, opened up about mental health. He first spoke about it at an event in 2016, where he addressed the importance of talking about mental health issues. Talking about his struggles and the importance of having a conversation about mental well-being, he said, “I’ve been through my ups and downs. I have experienced depression; I have experienced confusion, as we all do. It’s a very normal thing. We should be very casual about it when we speak about it. It should be spoken about casually.” Advocating the need to seek help, he said, “Sometimes your brain takes over, feeds you with unwanted thoughts. That’s the time you need objectivity, a third or second person to look at you and say, ‘this is what is happening to you’.”
Karan Johar:
In an interview with Faye D’Souza in 2024, filmmaker Karan Johar opened up about his struggles with body dysmorphia. Karan claimed that nothing has changed over the years and that he sought the help of a mental health professional to overcome his issues. “I have body dysmorphia; I am very awkward getting into a pool. I don’t know how to do it without feeling pathetic,” he said. This was not the first time Karan has opened up about his mental health. In an earlier interview with PTI, Karan shared, “When I spoke about my anxiety, it was to share a part of life that exists. That exists today as well, while I speak. I’ve no fear in saying that I’m on medication.”
Aamir Khan:
Actor Aamir Khan has also opened up about his mental health struggles in the recent years. In an interview with Instant Bollywood, the actor spoke about how he resorted to drinking shortly after his split with former wife Reena Dutta and would finish one bottle in a day. “When Reena and I broke up first time, I was in mourning for almost 2-3 years…I was alone at home, and for almost 1.5 years, I drank a lot. I was in a deep depression,” he said. Aamir and his daughter, Ira, have also spoken about going to therapy together. Advocating the need to seek help, Aamir said, “My daughter Ira and me have been reaping the benefits of therapy for years. If you also feel like you’re going through mental or emotional issues, you can seek a trained professional’s help. There’s no shame in that.”
Shruti Haasan:
The actor opened up about seeking help for mental health issues during the lockdown period. Talking about it in an interview with HT City then, Shruti said, “I definitely think mental health crisis is a very real problem. But people are usually cautious or are ashamed to talk about it.” Recommending people to seek therapy or counselling, she shared, “I am in therapy for three years now. I seriously recommend therapy for people who need it. I have tools and meditation that help me.”
Yo Yo Honey Singh:
Rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh has always been vocal about his struggle with mental health and bipolar disorder. In an earlier interview with Brut, the rapper spoke about his difficulties and even mentioned that he “wished for death every day”. In a recent chat in ABtalks podcast, he admitted that his mental condition led him to leave the stage, and what followed was his long battle with bipolar disorder. “I stayed inside my house for seven years. I didn’t want my fans to see me in that condition… Bipolar disorder takes you into destructive thoughts that are not real,” he shared. However, he said that seeking help and medications did help him recover. “I started recovering within four weeks. In just four weeks, I started meeting people and facing life again,” he said.
