Over the last few days, there have been a lot of conversations surrounding mental health and suicide prevention. Estimates say that roughly 8,00,000 people die by suicide every year, with one death being reported every 40 seconds. In India, suicide is said to be the most common cause of death in the age group of 15–29 years. The suicide rate increased, and Maharashtra (11.9%) and West Bengal (11.0%) had the highest proportion of suicides. In 2020, suicide was the leading cause for hundreds of “non-coronavirus deaths” reported in India due to distress triggered by the nationwide lockdown. 338 deaths have occurred from March 19 till May 2, and they are related to lockdown. Many Bollywood and regional film actors took their lives by hanging themselves, but only one death made it to headlines, debates, agitation, and campaign, and that is Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide.
There can be various reasons for the overhyping this incidence because it suits political interest; it suits to attack Bollywood personalities because it suited everyone to set their scores against one another. But one crucial point we all ignoring is that the mental illness. Shockingly, cases of undiagnosed and untreated depression are rampant in India. Unsurprisingly, India is home to around 57 million people (nearly 18 percent of the global estimate) suffering from depression, as per WHO’s analysis. Depression is one of the leading causes of suicide in India, which has become the second leading cause of death among young Indians. Such illness may propagate feelings of extreme sadness, guilt, loss of interest, and withdrawal into self. This can ultimately culminate in suicide too. While most of us would be more than eager to pop pills to give a headache a rest or bid a fever goodbye, the more serious concerns of anxiety, stress, and depression are tiresomely brushed off. The stigma and the lack of communication around mental health problems can also contribute to the condition being worsened.
Why is the Sushant Singh Rajput case being advertised when there are literally thousands of similar cases every year that have happened with ordinary people in the last many years in India (a small number registered and many unregistered)? Did we ever show compassion to these deaths? Did we ever raise voices against these unnatural deaths? Did we ever have debates and newsroom discussions on these deaths? This should have happened a long time ago, but it’s happening now. Well, keeping the main debate aside why everyone wants to wash their hands-on Mumbai Police, State Government, and above all, Rhea Chakraborty? Why selective targets and outrage?
There are disgraceful remarks on Sushant’s Girlfriend Rhea from various justifications. Calling any women “Dayan” or “gold digger’ is one’s unseemly and immoral behavior. Fighting over such remarks is highly farcical. So, rather than wasting time and the energy on these attention-seeking remarks, we should focus on issues that really matter to us and can bring some productive revelation.
Let’s use our education to bring change to society. Debating over these serious topics of depression, mental illness, social justice, and above all, the truth behind this death without mincing words is need of the hour. Derogatory statements and abusive allegations may compromise the actual agenda and motive behind this campaign. Unfortunately, by taking sides and attacking Rhea, many people gained some social media attention. They got some more followers, likes, and subscriptions. Many down-market celebrities, professionals, so-called social activists baked their bread on Sushant’s death. As we all know, dead can’t speak, so all are writing their own script as if Rajput came to their dreams and told them what exactly happened that morning.
They all are trying to extract some fame; such stunts won’t last long. They are just building perspective, but with times everything is going to fade, these news channels need new topics as their survival is on TRP. Look at the present condition; many Newsrooms moved from Sushant 24/7. There is hardly any trending today on social media. Before Sushant, there were many such topics that hit the headlines and lost in its hoopla.
There is no winning or losing in this war of commentary. You are wasting your energy here, which you can utilize for something relevant. Sushant’s death bothers me too. Of course, this is something that wouldn’t have happened. But look at the irony, Jiah Khan died, Disha Salian died, Sridevi died, Divya Bharti died, Parveen Babi died, but no media or social media took up their deaths as vigorously as they have taken this issue. Every life matters, isn’t it? Why so much silence then, and noise now? Think, because I am leaving this to your intellect. What one should ask is a fair trial for all those accused in this death case and objective investigation to expose the truth that is convincing to the people.
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