*Trigger warning: Depression and suicidal ideation*
Bollywood actress Mrunal Thakur’s upcoming film Jersey is set to release soon. Ahead of the release, she opened up about her struggle with depression and getting suicidal thoughts during the lowest phase of her life.
Mrunal’s lowest phase of her life
Credit: Mrunal Thakur, Instagram
Mrunal shared how her parents wanted her to become a dentist, but she wanted to pursue crime journalism so that she could come on TV. In an interview with YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, Mrunal said, “There were a lot of responsibilities as well. At that time, I used to think that if I didn’t do this well, I would be nowhere. I thought I would be married off at 23 and have kids, and that is exactly what I did not want. I wanted to do something different and I would give auditions back then. There were many points where I felt like I was good for nothing.”
Mrunal had suicidal thoughts at the age of 17
She further elaborated how the age of 15-20 years is a crucial time for people to figure out what they want to do in life, and those who are unable or fail to recognise their goal in life may feel low and have suicidal thoughts. On being asked if she went through similar thoughts, she said, “I used to travel by local trains. I used to stand at the door and sometimes, I would feel like jumping off.”
It’s an ongoing struggle
Credit: Mrunal Thakur, Instagram
Talking about how she still struggles, Mrunal said, “When you choose a course, it looks very fun on the outside but until you do it, you don’t realise that you didn’t sign up for this, this is something else. That is what was happening with me. I am a creative person. I can’t write scripts. There was a subject called literature… I don’t like reading, I am more of a listener, I like watching things. I used to feel, ‘What did I sign up for?’ There was that self-doubt.”
Credit: Mrunal Thakur, Instagram
“I was staying away from my family. At the age of 17-18, living alone in a city like Mumbai is not easy. You have to take care of your rent and food. You have to account for every rupee. And because my father is a banker, if I withdrew even ₹500 from my account, he would get to know,” she concluded.
On the work front, Mrunal was last seen opposite Farhan Akhtar in Toofan, and will feature opposite Shahid Kapoor in Jersey.
Lead Image Credit: Mrunal Thakur, Instagram
