Bollywood star Deepika Padukone bats for mental health again ahead of World Mental Health Day

Deepika Padukone never lets us forget the importance of looking after your mental health and how it's crucial that you focus on your inner peace at every given turn. So it should come as no surprise that the actress has taken it upon herself to remind her fans about it ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10.

Currently, Padukone is in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur to spread awareness about her health foundation Live Love Laugh among their rural community. In India, it's still mostly taboo to talk about mental health problems, but Padukone is undeterred as she fights the stigma around it.

In an interview with NDTV, Padukone -- who's one of Bollywood's most bankable stars -- spoke about her mother and her sister were her biggest pillars when she was battling with mental health issues. She told NDTV: "In my own case for example, had my mother and the caregiver not identified my symptoms, in my moment of vulnerability, had she not had the presence of mind to tell me to or help me reach out to the professionals, I don't know what state I would be in today. Ensuring, I was regular with my treatment, with my consultations with the doctors, and of course it takes a toll on the caregiver as well and that's not something new. I think caregivers in general, whether it is mental illness or any other form of illness, it takes a toll on the caregiver."

In 2015, Padukone decided to open up about her struggles with mental health and soon became emblematic of public figures being vulnerable with their fans. It's not often that actresses speak about mental health issues since most are worried about being mocked at and ridiculed.

Time and again, Padukone has reminded her fans that mental health isn't a rich person's problem and that anyone -- irrespective of their perceived wealth and status -- can battle this illness that can be often cured and managed with the help of professionals and therapy. This year was not any different. She has now reached the grassroots level to disseminate information about mental health. In rural India, many don't know how to go about treating and addressing the problem of mental health.

Apart from Bollywood A-lister Padukone, several stars have now openly begun discussing mental health and want it to be a part of public discourse. In an earlier interview with Gulf News, both Padukone and Shruti Haasan -- who has also spoken openly about her own set of mental health struggles -- had hoped that the subject is not under the spotlight only when the World Mental Health Day springs up. This conversation should be had every day of our lives, believes these two fierce talents.

Padukone is one of the most recognisable faces in India and beyond. The actor will soon be seen in Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan', which is scheduled for January 25 release. She's also collaborating with Hrithik Roshan in action drama 'Fighter' and the official Hindi remake of the 2015 Hollywood film 'The Intern', also starring Amitabh Bachchan. When she's not working on films and globe-trotting around Paris endorsing luxury goods, Padukone is busy talking up mental health and why it isn't a disease that afflicts just the rich and the famous.