Imran Khan Talks About Battling ‘Deep, Severe Depression’: Did My Best To Disappear

Imran Khan is gearing up to make his acting comeback. Ahead of his return, the actor opened up about the time when he was battling with several mental health problems. In a new interview, the Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na hitmaker recalled what triggered the health setback.

Being an actor is optional, these things are not optional: Imran Khan

Imran Khan deliberately switched away from the limelight after his 2015 film Katti Batti. In an interview with Movie Companion, the actor shared why it was important for him to take a step back and focus on himself and his well-being. He recalled that during 2016-2017 he decided to make his mental health his priority. He reasoned, “Being an actor is optional, these things are not optional.”

Elaborating on why he decided to step back from films, he stated that he would not be capable of ‘functioning’. He added, “In those years, I was just not capable of doing these things. I was barely capable of functioning. When you are tackling deep and severe depression, just getting up in the morning and brushing your teeth and taking a shower is a monumental task.”

He mentioned that it was during this time he decided to not be a part of the limelight. He said, “I did my best to disappear. I did not engage via those threads. You know how desperately people cling to the spotlight, I didn’t. I did exactly the opposite of what you are supposed to do to stay relevant. Yet here we are, and here I am.”

Imran Khan says he distanced himself from Bollywood because he could not engage with it

In the same conversation, Imran Khan shared that he decided to step away from films because he couldn’t connect with the world anymore. He added that walking away from the world of glamor was not difficult for him because he was not charmed by it, to begin with. He recalled the instant fame he received after the release of Jaane Tu Yaa Jaane Na and how the industry reacted to his flop movies.

Imran said, “The week before Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na released, nobody could have given a damn if I walked on the street; the week after it released, suddenly there are people chasing my car. A film doesn’t do well, the same industry people who were chomping at the bit to show up and pat me on the back suddenly are like, ‘You are out of season, you are the wrong kind of flavor’.” The actor was reported to make a comeback with a sept series, which is now shelved.