'Mental health not talked about'

Pertinent issue

After talking openly about her struggle with depression, Bollywood actress Ileana D’cruz says that it is important to talk about mental health in public forums. “People usually feel that we (celebrities) live a very luxurious and happening life, but what they don’t know is that being a public figure can easily put you under a lot of stress,” she tells Metrolife.

“Some of us do have issues and I feel that we should talk about it openly because mental health is not much talked about in India. I am not ashamed of what I said, neither do I consider it a form of bravery to talk about mental health. It is just that I feel it is extremely important for us to take this issue seriously,” she says.

She’s another prominent actor after Deepika Padukone to talk about her struggle with depression. In the interview, she admitted how she struggles with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a mental disorder characterised by obsessive tendencies to perceive flaws in one’s body, and how she got help.

The 28-year-old actor who has featured in films like Barfi! and Rustom recently walked the ramp for designer Riddhi Mehra at the Lakme Fashion Week winter/festive and she admitted that she was extremely nervous. “I was nervous as hell. The feeling is same as always. Each time I walk for a designer, I can feel butterflies in my stomach,” she says.

“But this nervousness also pushes me to do the best,” adds, the actor who sashayed down the ramp in a burgundy-coloured lehenga.

Mehra’s collection which was inspired by Arcadia, a place from ancient Greece, used fabrics like silks, crepe, georgette and net and the colour palette revolved around teal green, navy blue, eggplant, pink, ivory and blacks.

While the grandeur of the flowy Grecian drapes, bomber sleeves and off-shoulder dominated the collection, juxtaposition of mosaics and prints complemented the dainty and bold floral motifs.