Aahana Kumra: There were times when I wouldn’t get out of my blanket for days

The world of glamor can sometimes embody “all that glitters is not gold”! As audiences hold the reins of the fate of a movie or show, actors can find themselves on the receiving end of bouquets and bricks in the blink of an eye. Aahana Kumra is no stranger to both sides of this reality. The actress, seen in back-to-back films India Lockdown and Salaam Venky, has opened up about how nasty public comments can end up damaging mental health.

In an exclusive interview with Health Shots about all things wellness, Aahana went unfiltered when it came to talking about the ‘price’ actors pay for taking on high-risk, high-reward work. . This award is most often associated with mental well-being.

Aahana Kumra opens up about mental health

“I think there are three people whose mental health is most affected: actors, cricketers and politicians. All three are mistreated, come what may! When a cricketer plays poorly, he is harassed by saying “itna kharaab khela”. If the actors play badly, they say ‘kya bakwaas actor hai’… I understand that the world has become mean, and people feel that they have the freedom to say anything. But people’s growth can be stunted because it has a direct impact on our mental health,” says Aahana.

The 37-year-old has been active in different entertainment media, starting in theater at the age of 14. Later, she began her date with the screen, starting with television, then moving on to short films and gradually presenting dramas such as Lipstick Under My Burkha and The Accidental Prime Minister.

Being in the limelight comes with its own set of challenges: living up to your own expectations, those of the industry and those of the public.

Aahana adds, “With great power comes great responsibility. It’s something our Shri Shri Spiderman said. I truly believe that if I didn’t want to achieve what I want to achieve, then I should have done a job in a bank or a company instead of a job where I would be abused or trolled.

Also read: 4 ways to deal with social media trolls

Aahana Kumra talks about handling mean comments

On the repercussions of dealing with negative comments, Aahana reveals, “There were times when I didn’t get out of my cover for days because someone said something so mean. I’m like, ‘Humne kya galat kar diya hai?’ I understand that the expectations of our audience are very high and that they expect us to be God. But we are not that. We are only humans, and it is completely normal to be wrong as humans.

While she acknowledges being an actor or celebrity means her work can impact someone’s life, she says people need to consider the hard work behind every project before they dismiss it outright. .

A “kinder audience,” she argues, is more than welcome at a time when people are heading into solitary existences. Loneliness is an emotion that is addressed through Aahana’s track in India Lockdown, a film about how the Covid-19 lockdown has impacted different people’s lives differently.

“Loneliness, anxiety, depression and mental health are very important conversations that have arisen during confinement. Personally, I have never lived alone in my life and the only time I lived alone was when I was isolated when I had Covid-19. At that time, I realized that I had developed anxiety,” says the actress.

Watch Aahana Kumra’s full interview on Health Shots here!

“People are feeling more and more alone,” says Aahana Kumra

What’s scarier – being alone or being alone?

“To be alone”, pat comes the answer. “You can be alone and you’ll be fine, but being alone… You could be in a room full of people and still feel alone. We have already isolated ourselves from everyone else. Everyone is inside their phone,” she adds.

On the other hand, technology is what most people have relied on to survive the perils of lockdown – whether to stay in touch with loved ones, to seek medical help or to work.

“Yes, social media has helped us connect, but it has also made us all lonely. No one realizes what a potential cause of harm this can be for all of us. It’s going to explode,” Aahana says.

She shares how she made her days of confinement easier by falling back on her love for fitness and streamlining her life into a routine.

“I had a wonderful routine during lockdown that I had never had before in my life. We are nomadic actors. We take our suitcases and go from one hotel room to another, go to the set, come back in the evening, eat and go to bed. During lockdown I was like ‘I can wake up, I can work out, cook my own meal, do my own ‘jhaadu, pochha, bartan’, have time for an afternoon nap, me wake up, meditate and play with my nephew. I was like ‘Wow, I can accomplish so much just by being home and having a routine’. Lockdown has been incredibly different for me,” she says.