(If you are suicidal or know anyone in distress, you can reach out to local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs here.)
The year 2019 had been a milestone year for actor Sushant Singh Rajput. He managed to attain the notoriously elusive sweet spot of critical acclaim and commercial success. While Sonchiriya received enormous praise from critics, Chhichhore emerged as one of the biggest hits at the box office.
In Chhichhore, Sushant played a middle-aged father to a teenage son battling a failed suicide attempt. The film’s success ensured a brief engagement in the press and social media on issues such as mental health, anxiety, and depression.
Nine months after the film, on 14 June, news of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death has once again catapulted mental health into living room conversations, social media posts and news debates.