Alia Bhatt Cheers On Sis Shaheen’s New Mental Health Initiative

Shaheen has been vocal about her battle with depression.

Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt with their father Mahesh Bhatt.

(Photo Courtesy: Instagram)

In honour of World Mental Health Day (10 October), Alia Bhatt took to social media to introduce fans to her sister Shaheen Bhatt’s new mental health initiative, Here Comes the Sun. “No one needs to be alone as they struggle with mental health, battling their fears & anxiety. Sometimes all you need is to know that you're not alone!!! Let's start the conversation and raise awareness. Join Shaheen and Here Comes the Sun to get started,” she tweeted.

Currently limited to an Instagram page, Here Comes the Sun aims to be a safe space to encourage a discussion on mental health, allow users to share their experiences and offer resources and access to professional help. Shaheen explained the initiative in a note on the page saying, “Here Comes the Sun was born from a simple idea. The idea that we are not alone. None of us are alone in our struggles and journeys with mental health – we all have the same fears and we all hope for the same things. Here Comes the Sun is a friendly voice reminding you that you aren’t alone, it’s an effort to raise awareness about mental health, to start a conversation, and to help end the taboo and the stigma surrounding it. The first step to all of this is to just say hello our demons.”

After the book was launched, Alia posted a video talking about how it had changed her perspective about her sister. “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,” she said.