In a recent podcast, Bollywood actor Anupam Kher has touched upon a relevant yet often overlooked subject: the decline in people’s health after retirement. Citing the example of his father, who was a clerk in the forest department, Kher revealed he suffered from retirement depression for three years as he was accustomed to an 8am-8pm schedule before retirement.

Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who has entertained audiences with a range of roles spanning various genres, has always maintained that he doesn’t wish to retire. The versatile actor, in one of his interviews with The Telegraph, revealed that as an actor, he has the privilege of never having to retire.

Sharing his latest podcast with Chalchitra Talks on his X handle, Kher emphasised how retirement depression was very real, and he saw his father battling it.

“My father went through three years of retirement depression because officially he was told you are not capable of working now,” the Saraansh actor said.

He noted that people give you a farewell with fanfare, but snatch all the privileges by the end of the celebration. “Mere ek chacha hain wo bahot bade officer the, toh unka uss din retirement tha. Subah unko gaadi lene aayi jaise aati thi har baar. Saara din unhone guzara phir shaam ko unke liye cake-wake kata gaya, fir maala-waala dhoondi gayi. Fir unhone kaha ghar chalte hain gaadi kahan hai. Kaha ab to aap retire ho gaye hain. Gaadi to nahi hai (On the retirement day of one of my uncles, who was a celebrated officer, he was picked up by a car like always. The entire day was spent in cake-cutting and honoring him for his services. When it was time to leave and he asked for a drop, he was told that now he had retired and he didn’t have a car facility),” he recalled.

Kher added that official retirement is a depressing thing and the elderly should be kept occupied in order to prevent them from depression and loneliness. He noted that senior citizens not only get physically sick but also experience a decline in their mental health.

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What is retirement depression?

Retirement depression, though not a formal medical diagnosis, has been commonly observed in people and many may develop depressive symptoms like sadness, loss of interest, and feelings of loneliness and isolation. BMC journal says difficulties adjusting to retirement could potentially cause an increase in depressive symptoms and reduced retirement satisfaction.

Retirement may feel like freedom from stress, long commutes, and financial worries but many people feel aimless, depression, and isolated after they lose a sense of identity and purpose.

An estimated 1.5 million retirees have reentered the US labour market over the past year, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by Nick Bunker, an economist at Indeed, published in The Washington Post.

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Ways to make post-retirement life cheerful

Meaningful work after retirement can help keep one involved in life and is found to be healthy, according to PubMed Central. Whether it’s reconnecting with old hobbies or staying involved in household affairs, there are many ways to make life worthwhile after retirement.

As Anupam Kher highlights in the podcast – “Buzurgon ko kaam dete rehna chahiye. Bijli ka bill bhar aao, aap list banao, aap kaam doge.”

One can take a cue from Rishi Kapoor/Paresh Rawal‘s character from Sharmaji Namkeen to redefine retirement and fulfill unrealised dreams.