Deepika Padukone schooled Salman Khan on mental health: "People confuse it with being a bit sad" [Throwback]

Deepika Padukone was one of the first celebs to have openly spoken about going through mental health issues and depression. Battling the stigma attached to it, Padukone has been actively raising her voice to normalize it as any other health concern. While many celebs slowly came out and started supporting the cause, few couldn't completely gather their heads around it.

Deepika Padukone, Salman KhanTwitter

Salman's casual remark

And one such statement made by Salman Khan made us think the same. It was in February 2018, during the TiE Global Summit that Salman Khan made a rather insensitive comment on mental health issues. "I see a lot of people getting depressed and emotional but I can't afford that luxury of being depressed or sad or emotional because no matter what I am going through, it works against me," Khan was quoted saying.

Deepika Padukone, SalmanReuters

Deepika's outburst

Reacting to the same, Deepika again raised her voice against it and told Vogue in an interview, "People confuse it (battling depression) with being a bit sad. A male star said recently that he 'didn't have the luxury to be depressed.' As if... depression is a choice!" In another interview with Pinkvilla, Deepika again spoke up on the issue and how to break the myth that depression is a luxury.

"Depression is sometimes perceived as a luxury. People think that those who have too much time or money get into depression. I think it is very important to break that myth," Deepika had said. Deepika has formed a foundation for mental health – Love Love Laugh – in 2015. The foundation raises awareness about mental health concerns and also offers counseling.