Bollywood stardom may look glamorous on the outside, but very few know what goes on behind the scenes. Even when surrounded by people, one can still feel lonely and that loneliness can quickly lead to mental health struggles. Recently, actor Vijay Varma opened up about his own mental health journey for the first time. In a conversation with Rhea Chakraborty on her podcast, the Mirzapur actor revealed that he was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, and turned to yoga and therapy to heal.
Vijay said his mental health began deteriorating when he was living alone in Mumbai. “I was all alone in an apartment in Mumbai. Luckily, I had a small terrace. I could see the sky, be with the elements. Otherwise, I would’ve gone mad. Actually, I did. What happened to me is that pause, that constant running after work, the byproduct is that you become so lonely. I felt very lonely, very afraid and I was like why can’t I move from my couch for four days? What’s going on?” he said.
Ira Khan helped him through the phase
In the same podcast, Vijay also spoke about how Aamir Khan’s daughter, Ira Khan, and actor Gulshan Devaiah supported him during that time. “At that time, Ira and Gulshan were like my little support system. Ira was assisting on Dahaad, and we had all become good friends during the shoot. We’d video call each other on Zoom, have dinners, that was our circle. But I kept deteriorating,” he said.
He revealed that Ira was the first person to notice his condition. “She told me, ‘Vijay, I think you need to start moving a little bit.’ She would do Zoom workouts and make me work out. Eventually, I spoke to a therapist online and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. My therapist even suggested medication, but I told her, ‘Let me try managing for now.’”
To cope, Vijay began practicing surya namaskars and yoga, along with continuing therapy sessions.
How yoga can help manage anxiety and depression
Yoga has been the mantra for better physical and mental health since ages. And now even research is backing it up. According to a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders (2024), regular yoga practice can help lower symptoms of anxiety and depression by regulating stress hormones and improving mood.
Yoga also increases body awareness, which can help manage physical tension and interrupt negative thought patterns that lead to anxiety. It can reduce the production of stress hormones and increase the release of mood-boosting neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.
A NIMHANS study found that yoga, when combined with standard medical treatment, helped patients with major depressive disorder recover faster and experience fewer relapses. Researchers noted that yoga’s blend of physical movement, deep breathing, and mindfulness helps calm the nervous system and increase serotonin, the ‘feel-good’ hormone.
Breathing techniques used in yoga help slow the heartbeat and reduce the rapid breathing commonly associated with anxiety, allowing the mind to reach a calmer state. A 2024 study published on PubMed found that yoga-based breathing techniques significantly reduced anxiety and depression levels among hospitalised patients.
In the film industry, life may look glamorous, but it also comes with long hours and a lot of pressure. Vijay’s honesty about his mental health shows that anyone can struggle, no matter how famous or successful they are. By speaking up, he joins other stars like Deepika Padukone, who have helped start important conversations about depression and anxiety in India.
