The recent demise of Sushant Singh Rajput has sparked discussions on the mental health of actors and filmmakers. Sushant died by suicide at his Mumbai home on June 14. He was 34. The actor had shown symptoms of clinical depression and was consulting a psychiatrist, the police had said.

Mourning Sushant’s demise, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has opened up about his struggling phase and troubles with depression. “I always had a fighting spirit and will always have,” Nawaz shared. “I don’t consider myself more than a labourer. I didn’t come to the industry with the dream of becoming a huge superstar. It is useless to have such big dreams as once you get disappointments, it pushes towards depression.”

Recalling his initial days as an actor, Nawaz continued, “For about 10 years, I just wanted to survive in this industry. However, there were times when I too faced depression but used to be happy to do even one scene in a film. It is important to sail through in your entire journey. Success doesn’t guarantee happiness, if that would have been the case today, the most successful people would be happier.”

“I had absolutely no money for about a year and half, I used to eat food at my friend’s house and used to walk for hours around the city. Due to lack of adequate food, my body shrunk and I had hairfall too. I used to leave my house around 7am and gaze at traffic and buildings for hours thinking I would die soon and would not be able to see all this again. I used to feel aloof, but I thank god for saving me,” he added.

Sushant Singh Rajput had appeared in films like Kai Po Che! Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!, M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story, Sonchiriya and others. His final film will be Dil Bechara, an Indian adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars.