Meanwhile, celebrities are talking about their #MeToo moments, some discussed their own troubles with depression on the occasion of World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2018. Though it is still considered a stigma and people avoid talking about it, celebrities have taken a step towards breaking this glass ceiling. From Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Karan Johar to Anushka Sharma, Tiger Shroff, Ileana D'Cruz; everyone shared their own battles of depression. (Also Read: Shashi Kapoor's Tragic Love Story: Once A Superstar, Who Went Into Depression After His Wife's Death)
But not many of us know that Alia Bhatt’s elder sister, Shaheen Bhatt also penned down the account of her struggle with depression and insomnia. Shaheen launched her book titled Never Been (Un)Happier on World Mental Health Day. And after reading her sister’s novel, Alia shared a heartfelt video dedicated to Shaheen, expressing her feelings about the same.
Alia shares in the video that after a long tiring day at work, just one look at her sister’s eyes lights up her heart. In the video, Alia has also added a footage wherein she along with her parents, Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan and her sister, Shaheen are dancing with their grandmother. Alia reminisces about how happy her big sister looks in the video. She goes on to talk about how she missed those signs when Shaheen suffered from depression and apologises to her for not being there when she needed her.
She says, “When I read your book, the book you have written with so much ease and honesty, while I struggle to write one letter to you. I feel awful. I feel terrible because despite living with you for 25 years, I have never really understood your silent moments of depression. I never recognized a snappy moment as something much bigger.”
Alia went on to say, “Every time you refused to go out for dinner, I would think she rather sit at home and watch TV, be alone, not that you couldn’t bring yourself to get out of bed. Thank you for educating me Shaheen, that’s what you have done and taught me so much about life. And lastly, I am sorry, I know you hate the fact that we all are saying sorry to you, take the apology because even though we love you, we understood what you were going through to this extent.” (Also Read: Anisha Padukone Opens Up About Sis Deepika Padukone's Battle With Depression, Says It Was Difficult)
Alia posted a snapshot of her, writing the letter to her sister, and captioned it as, “Dear Shaheen, Somehow when I finished reading your book I couldn't tell you how I felt immediately, Cause I felt too much, And I don't think I could ever discuss it with you properly, I've tried now! #NeverBeenUnhappier”.
To this, Shaheen replied by sharing Alia's above picture on her Instagram handle, and wrote, " My sister surprised me with this video about my book a few days ago. To say that it moved and overwhelmed me would be hugely understating things. I have so much gratitude for my family, for their ceaseless support and for how they treat all that I do as undertakings of their own. Thank you for this @aliaabhatt. I love you."
Sharing the cover of Never Been (Un)Happier, Alia had written, “I always knew my sister was brilliant. She's been my hero, my role model and a being I've aspired to be like in life cause of her inherent goodness, warmth, heart, supremely kick ass sarcastic sense of humor and so on. Today her first book is out. And today I think I can safely say she's gone from brilliance to MAGIC. Tanna I love you. And lets just say this is just the beginning. Today and everyday I'm grateful and proud to be your sister @shaheenb #NeverBeenUnhappier”.
In November 2016, Shaheen wrote a lengthy Instagram post opening about her depression. She wrote, “I've lived with depression on and off since I was about 13 years old. This is not a revelation or a confession. Those who know me know this about me. It's not something I take any pains to hide, I'm not ashamed of it or particularly troubled by it. It's just a part of who I am. I have days where I feel good and then I have days where I don't. One minute everything's fine and the next it's like someone turned the light off inside my head. I go quiet and it's difficult to get out of bed. Like it always does the world around me loses focus and I struggle to make sense of it. Sometimes these bouts last an hour - sometimes they last days.”
Shaheen further wrote, “Today, I'm on day 4. I say I live with depression rather than I struggle with it because for me (and I speak only for myself here) I don't see why it has to be a struggle. I once read an idea by an American essayist called Richard Mitchell which stayed with me; it's now become how I try to approach the dips in my week or month. The idea is this: To be sick, or to suffer, is inevitable. But to become bitter and vindictive in sickness and suffering and to surrender to irrationality, supposing yourself the innocent and virtuous victim of the evils intentions of the world, is not inevitable.”
She concluded by writing, “The appropriate answer to the question - Why me? is the other question - Why not me? Why am I writing about this? Well, I spend a fair amount of time on social media during the course of my day and today I found myself looking for something to post because it's been a few days since I've posted anything. I couldn't find anything so I figured I'd just talk about this - how I'm doing, instead of what I'm doing. It's as simple as that, and we could all stand to do a little more of it. P.S. That picture just seemed to work in this context.” (Also Read: When Shekhar Suman And Alka Suman's 1st Child Died, Both Went Into Depression And Wanted To End Life)
Has there ever been any ‘Never Been (Un)Happier’ moment in your life too? Share it with the people you love, and trust us, it will definitely make you feel better!