World Mental Health Day: 5 Bollywood films that address mental health struggles

On World Mental Health Day, let’s look at 5 Bollywood movies that hit the right notes when dealing with the topic of Mental Health.

Dear Zindagi-Tamasha

When it comes to Hindi films, you get every emotion that you’ve been looking for - happy, sad, laughter, thriller, horror, and even films that talk about mental health struggles. Over the years, Bollywood has given us multiple films that have focused on mental health problems and have been educating people to be aware of what can be done when you’re stuck in life with loads of emotions inside you. Today, on World Mental Health Day, let’s go back in time and take a look at the films that have beautifully portrayed sensitivity with maturity.

Bollywood films focusing on Mental Health

Tamasha (ZEE5, OTTplay Premium)

Starring Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, Tamasha takes us to the life of Ved (Ranbir), who suffers from borderline personality disorder. The film highlights his relationship with Tara (Deepika) and dives deep into the details of his disorder which starts in his childhood. The film is also known for Ranbir’s impeccable acting prowess with a gripping narrative by Imtiaz Ali.

Barfi (Netflix)

Barfi is directed by Anurag Basu and stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead roles. This endearing film showcases the beautiful love story between Barfi (Ranbir), who despite being unable to speak and hear expresses his love to autistic Jhilmil (PeeCee). The film is a perfect depiction of the love and sacrifice of the disabled without carrying the weight of pity.

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Dear Zindagi (Netflix)

Dear Zindagi entirely revolves around mental health issues and does not shy away from speaking loudly about the topic. With Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan in the lead roles, the film delves into the psychological and abandonment issues faced by Kaira (Alia) and focuses on how she can overcome them. The pivotal part in the film is played by SRK as Jug, an unconventional therapist. The film is directed by Gauri Shinde.

Taare Zameen Par (Disney+ Hotstar)

Taare Zameen Par revolves around an 8-year-old boy named Ishaan (Darshan Safary) who faces difficulties in his studies because of a condition called Dyslexia. When Ishaan’s parents send him to the boarding school as a punishment for studying hard, he meets Aamir Khan’s Ram Shankar who helps him in fun ways to focus in his studies. The psychological drama is directed by Aamir Khan and Amole Gupte.

Chhichhore (Disney+ Hotstar)

When Sushant Singh Rajput's son tried to end his life after finding out that he had not qualified for the IIT, Sushant as Aniruddh Pathak narrates the story of his college days. In this beautiful narrative of seven friends and their college life, the film beautifully teaches that no one is a loser and that every human being has their own way of dealing with life's ups and downs. The film also stars Shraddha Kapoor.

Stay tuned to OTTplay for more information on this and everything else from the world of streaming and films.

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