Deepika Padukone On Mental Health: Don't Think There's As Much Stigma As There Used To Be 4 Yrs Ago

When it comes to making people aware of mental health, Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, has always been the first to educate people. She has also openly spoken about her battle with depression even when she was at the peak of her career. She stated that she was happy to see that mental health is being openly discussed. However, she stated that there is still a long way to go when it comes to creating more awareness.

The 'Om Shanthi Om' actor, who was in New Delhi for the first edition of a lecture series, Live, Love, Laugh, opened about her depression in 2015.

"I think the conversation has opened up (on mental health). I don't think there's as much stigma as there used to be four years ago. But we certainly have a long way to go in terms of creating more awareness. I think that's where we need to keep the conversation alive," Deepika told reporters.

She started her career over a decade ago with the super hit movie, Om Shanti Om. She has also opened a foundation to educate people on mental health. 'The Live Love Laugh Foundation' was started in 2015 and it creates awareness about stress, anxiety and depression.

She described her journey 'incredible' as she overcame the struggles she faced in 2016.

"It's been an incredible journey since we developed our foundation... it's been 4 years now and today we launch our first lecture series and I think we have come a long way and in all certainty we have a long way to go. But I think as far as the conversation around mental health is concerned I think we have come a long way," she said.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Padma Shree awardee Siddhartha Mukherjee delivered the maiden lecture. Deepika's parents Prakash Padukone and Ujjala, sister Anisha Padukone, actress Sharmila Tagore also took part in the event.