Sushant Singh Rajput took his own life. The Indian media remains ignorant of mental health.

Disclaimer: This article assumes that the official position that Sushant’s death was a suicide is accurate, but the points I will make on mental health stand regardless of the outcome of the investigation.

On June 14, 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput hung himself in his own home. The tragic suicide threw millions of Indians all over the world into a shock. Countless took to social media to post their grief, their condolences, and their disbelief. A frenzied news cycle began as the former life of Sushant, a prominent Bollywood movie star, was put under a microscope. Three weeks later, the nation is still mourning—but the blame game has begun.

A close friend of Sushant wrote that Sushant “broke all his promises” and “betrayed him,” and suggested that his former ex-girlfriend “could have saved him if he just let [her] be there”. A fellow actor claimed that people saying Sushant’s depression caused his suicide were “running a parallel narrative” because “how can a person’s mind be weak if he holds ranks in engineering entrances?” Several people have come into the spotlight to share their stories after Sushant’s death—but instead of the mentally ill seeking to raise awareness for depression, they are other actors pointing to the flaws of Bollywood.

Three weeks later, and India’s reaction to Sushant’s death has, to say the least, missed the mark. The debate—and outrage—has been overwhelmingly over the nepotism in Bollywood. To be clear, I’m not doubting that the bias Sushant faced in Bollywood may have contributed to his death. The conversation around nepotism in Bollywood is a crucial one to have. However, the conversation around mental health in India is even more pressing, not to mention long overdue—and yet it has barely begun.

In 2016, an estimated 230,000 Indians died by suicide, the most of any other country in the world. Suicide by women in India is double the world average, and the situation is so stark it has been deemed a major public health concern. Sushant was just one of 200 million people in India that will have depression in their lifetime—in other words, 1 in every 5 Indians. The statistics are, without a doubt, shocking. And yet when asked about mental health, 71% of Indians associated it with stigma. For fear of ignorance, judgment, or rejection, only 10-12% of sufferers in India will seek help.

Mental health isn’t talked about in India. But instead of using Sushant’s death to educate the public about the dangerous myths pervading mental health, much of the media has—inadvertently, I hope—only perpetuated them instead. So first, before we do anything else, let’s start with these myths.

 Number 1. “Sushant’s girlfriend could have saved him.” This is false. Mental illnesses cannot be “fixed” by romantic relationships. Or any relationships, for that matter! While it is true that supportive or toxic relationships can help or hurt mental health, it is ultimately intensely personal. This notion not only puts an undue burden on the person for something they cannot help, it also makes the individual affected feel guilty for feeling the way they do (for more on this topic, see our blog Why You Don’t Have To Be Happy).

Number 2. “Sushant was successful, so why would he commit suicide” or “Sushant committed suicide because he wasn’t successful.” This is, again, misleading. Mental health does not depend on objective success. In the words of my friend with depression, a depressed individual could have everything they have ever wanted and still not be happy. Can fulfillment in various areas of life play a big hand in improving mental health? Absolutely. But ultimately, Sushant’s success is irrelevant; mental illness is chemical malfunctions in the brain. And speaking of:

Number 3. “Sushant could not have been ‘weak-minded’ because he was smart.” There are two myths to break down here. First, the notion that those with depression or those that commit suicide are weak.

Weak? No. No person who takes their own life, experiences suicidal thoughts, or indeed, struggles with any sort of mental illness is weak. They are, in fact, far stronger than most of us—because they have to be. For some, it takes an unimaginable amount of strength to even get up in the mornings. For some, living through what is a ‘normal’ day for the rest of us is an achievement. For these people, happiness is hard-earned and precious. To those reading this that may have experienced these feelings in the past, I applaud you for choosing to fight another day.

The second false assumption is this:

Number 4. “Smart people can’t have mental health issues.” In reality, intelligence has nothing to do with mental health. Nothing. Depression can affect anyone, from the most highly gifted to the least. In fact, some experts say that being gifted can actually increase the chance of having depression or suicidal thoughts. Either way, diminishing someone’s mental health issues is never okay for any reason.

What I have listed above is far from an exhaustive list, but it is a start. And it is important to remember that educating ourselves on these issues is only that: a start. We haven’t even begun to discuss legislative reform, the lack of resources for the mentally ill, or the enormous need for mental health workers across India. There is so much action we need to take—but first, we have to start talking.

Sushant’s death was, as every suicide is, heartbreaking. I wish, as so many do after a suicide, that there was something any of us could have done to ease his pain, that he had lived on. But he did not. And now, the only thing we can—and must—do is find a way to turn our grief into change. So let’s educate ourselves, our friends, and our family. Let’s take active steps today, right now, to learn about mental health in us and the world around us. Let’s take care of ourselves and check up on the people we love.

Because if we do not—if we learn nothing from Sushant’s loss—it is only a matter a time before it happens again. 

Did this piece resonate with you? Subscribe to keep up with other blogs like Jasmine’s or share your own kahani here!