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Huge stigma makes

mental health worse,

says Baatein director

HO has accorded India The latest documentary of are constantly compared with other,
the notoriety of being which is why children, and for that mat-
the 6th most depressed Adeeb Rais highlights how ter, adults even are scared to confront
country in the world. bottling up emotions coerces their demons or talk their heart out with
W A report by the global people to commit suicide, someone, eventually leading to the ex-
health authority released alarming data, treme step sometimes,” says Rais.
putting a staggering 6.5 per cent popula- writes chhavi bhatia While a lot of content has already
tion in India suffering from some sort of been filmed and documented, Rais still
mental disorder, including having maxi- They begin to share a few personal sto- feels that mental health is an issue that
mum patients for depression, schizo- ries and express some of their deepest needs to be addressed through creative
phrenia, bipolar, and anxiety. And with fears, feelings and thoughts with each mediums as much as possible. “That is
only 1 mental health professional for other. A few unexpected and uncomfort- why Baatein. It’s not novel, but the topic
every 1,00,000 patients, the picture can able conversations take place that hap- is of utmost relevance. The cases are in-
only get more grim. pen to change their outlook towards life, creasing and India continues to be one
While we applaud from the sidelines forever. of the front runners in depression, un-
when celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Uncomfortable conversations be- fortunately. I don’t think we can have
confess to having battled depression at cause the movie depicts how bottling up enough of content addressing the issue,”
some stage of their life, in a bid to reduce one’s emotions, and the fear of whether the director shares who has always made
the social stigma attached to mental someone will be empathetic enough to movies that take a leaf out of the life of a
health, it does not come easy for some- understand, coerces one to commit sui- common man.
one who is already battling his demons, cide. The movie also touches upon rag- “I love slice of slice as a genre. We of-
to share his state with someone. ging in educational institutions, besides ten tell stories about the fantasies and
“India is obsessed with what log kya the social stigma attached with mental larger than life situations, but I believe
kahenge, and over decades people have health issues. we should celebrate the everyday life
been bottling their emotions to succumb “There is a lot of pressure of being and regular emotions are as beautiful if
to social pressures and norms. Also, there judged. Often Indian households are too we pause and dig deeper,” Rais says. “As
continues to be huge stigma over men- strict and conservative and our children a story teller it’s a hard to strike a balance
tal health. People continue to look at it between being real and creating a cine-
as something they need to feel ashamed matic flavour that comes with the genre
of,” says film director Adeeb Rais, who "India is obsessed with what but I enjoy the challenge. When people
has recently released a short movie log kya kahenge, and over say they connect to a story or film, and
Baatein. they see themselves in the characters,
Set in Palghar, Maharashtra, Baatein decades people have been it’s a wonderful feeling. You always want
follows a young documentary filmmaker, bottling their emotions to your audience to stop being an audience
Jeet (played by Rais himself) as he sets off and become a part of the story. That is so
to visit, Suhasi Deshpande, a widowed succumb to social norms. satisfying,” he adds.
science professor. At his arrival, he is in- Before venturing with Baatein, Rais
troduced to her niece, Tulika. As Jeet and Also, there continues to be spent considerable time doing research
Tulika get acquainted with each other, huge stigma over mental for the topic, given the sensitivity in-
they are joined by Deshpande, who is volved, speaking to parents who have
struggling to cope with life, as she grieves health. People continue to lost their kids to depression. “I spoke
over the loss of her young son, Milind. look at it as something they to real life parents who lost their kids,
As the unlikely trio continue to spend watched documentaries and read blogs.
the day together, a friendship is formed. need to feel ashamed of" It was a very personal film as everything

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