In a country where stardom is worshipped and celebrity lives are dissected frame by frame, Bollywood stars seem to float in a world of glitz, admiration, and affluence. But beneath the perfectly-contoured smiles, the crafted Instagram reels, and the impeccably-timed red carpet appearances lies a reality that is far more fragile and human. This ETimes feature dives deep into the undercurrent of emotional distress that runs through India’s film industry — exploring how public performance, relentless comparisons, social media scrutiny, and suppressed vulnerability have made mental health a serious, yet silent, crisis in showbiz.The pressure to be ‘on’ — always
Veteran actor Adil Hussain believes that mental burnout is avoidable if you’re grounded — but even he admits to physical fatigue from back-to-back shoots and international travel. “There is not a pressure unless you want to take the pressure on yourself,” he says, before adding that actors must often perform pleasantness, if not joy. “Even when I’m tired, I take it as an opportunity… and say, ‘I will now smile.’ It is not an artificial smile but a genuine smile.”His coping mechanism lies in a spiritual discipline passed down from a mentor, which he’s practiced for 25 years. Yet, Hussain is clear-eyed about the stigma that still clouds Bollywood: “It has just become a little more acceptable… not necessarily normalized. I just hope people are more empathetic — not just to actors, but from the spot boy to the crew.”He makes a crucial point — that the entire ecosystem of cinema, not just its glamorous faces, needs emotional care. Workshops and mental health education for the cast and crew could be a sustainable way forward, he suggests.The emotional cost of power games
Filmmaker Rahul Dholakia is blunt: “We don’t have jobs many times a year — there’s no monthly paycheck… If the film doesn’t work, forget about it. Our lives are pushed away.” But the real damage, he says, comes from egos and power dynamics on sets. “The stress of handling cast, crew, producers, and stars is just another ball game.”Dholakia’s health suffered repeatedly. “I had diabetes after one film, blood pressure after another, a heart attack after one more.” Even while shooting Raees, his mother was in the ICU and he was in chronic pain, yet he didn’t — or couldn’t — stop. “You can’t bring your problems on set.”His advice to others: “Don’t let anyone take your life away from you. If you feel low, don’t feel shy to take help.” Looking back, he wishes he had resisted substances and faced problems head-on. “Face the problems. Deal with them.”Performance anxiety, driven by perception
Actress Bhagyashree highlights a subtler battle — the battle within. “The expectations of society, the industry, peers, and PR machinery can often feel like a relentless noise—dominating and overwhelming. To stay grounded, it’s essential to filter out that noise and reconnect with your inner self. Your goals are not the same as your identity. Successes and failures are outcomes, not measures of your worth as a person.” She suggests a barometer: “Is this advice or criticism helping me refine my path toward my goals? If yes, embrace it. But if it begins to compromise your core values—the very principles that define who you are—it’s time to walk away.”
The stigma of self-worth in an unforgiving industry
For director Anant Mahadevan, the struggle has often been about surviving targeted exclusion. “Being deliberately sidelined was… demoralizing,” he admits, especially when his refusal to play the networking game was held against him. His critically acclaimed The Storyteller was met with strategic silence. One critic even traveled to the Kerala Film Festival just to run down his film.Mahadevan draws strength from his craft. “Reinforcing the faith in oneself… shields your mind from damage. The years of such rigmarole have taught me to be a survivor.”Therapy, bonsais, and bikerides: New-age coping tools
Actor-filmmaker Kabir Sadanand lays bare the emotional debris of endless 18-hour shoots. “I began to feel the impact… emotionally fatigued. It started affecting my relationships.”He links much of the distress to social media’s performative joy: “There’s an unspoken expectation that we must always appear upbeat. Mental health remains taboo.” His solutions? Regular therapy, long bike rides, bonsai gardening, and letting emotions out instead of bottling them. “Like a shaken champagne bottle — if you don’t release the pressure, it will eventually explode.”When fame is a choice — but the fallout isn’t
Veteran actress Sohaila Kapur takes a pragmatic stance. “You know what you’re in for, so you should be prepared. There is a flip side to fame.” But she too has needed to ground herself through travel, silence, meditation, and theatre. “You can’t ask someone to treat you with kid gloves… self-help is the best. Or see a good therapist.”Her mantra: Upgrade your sense of self-worth. “Tell yourself you’re your best when you’re yourself. Don’t be afraid of criticism.”The burden of comparisons
Actor-anchor Karan Singh Chhabra speaks of a daily battle — the battle of being measured. “In this industry, you are compared all the time… with every post, every appearance, you are judged.”The release of his film, where he played the antagonist, brought anxiety. His self-talk became his anchor: “You have come this far and that is a success… This is a dream for many.” His escape? Turf cricket games, solo travel, gym sessions, and Zumba classes. “Between action and cut, the actor has to switch… work diverts your mind from the sadness.”He issues a reminder to media and paparazzi: “That actress you scoff at today could be the next big star tomorrow. Please keep your thoughts to yourself.”What needs to changeWhile several public figures now speak freely about seeing therapists or seeking spiritual grounding, the industry’s machinery is still largely unsympathetic. There’s fear — of being replaced, of looking weak, of being dropped from projects.Whether it’s Rahul Dholakia silently enduring chronic pain on set, Adil Hussain turning to meditation, or Kabir Sadanand finding solace in a bonsai garden, their stories converge on one point: the importance of acknowledging and addressing mental health in Bollywood.But the industry has a long way to go. While some speak up, many still fear judgment, dismissal, or losing work. The pressure to look perfect, the obsession with relevance, and the machinery of fame make it hard to just “be.”The answer may not be one-size-fits-all. For some, it is therapy. For others, it’s silence, laughter, travel, or simply being heard without being fixed.As Kabir Sadanand said, “Many are silently struggling, while their online personas tell a very different story.” Until those personas are reconciled with reality, and vulnerability is accepted as part of the job — not a weakness — the cost of fame may remain heavier than the applause it brings.If you or someone you know is dealing with emotional distress, don’t hesitate to reach out. Mental health is not a weakness — it’s a journey, and it deserves as much care as any blockbuster script or red carpet gown.
