Mahesh Bhatt: “Shaheen Attempted Suicide At The Age Of 12-13”

Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who is gearing up for the release of his forthcoming film The Dark Side Of Life: Mumbai City said that we are lacking in generating awareness about mental illness in our country.

Mahesh Bhatt was interacting with media at the trailer launch of The Dark Side Of Life: Mumbai City along with his co-actors Nikhil Ratnaparakhi, Allisha Khan, director Tariq Khan and producer Rajesh Pardasani on Monday in Mumbai.

The film addresses many sensitive issues like loneliness, communal harmony and mental health that exist in our society.

Talking about growing cases of suicides in the society, Bhatt said, “It’s a form of mental illness and it can be treated. When you suffer with diabetes then, you have to take insulin shots.”

“Similarly, when you are prone towards depression then you need to consult a doctor who can treat you through medication but, I think in our country, we are lacking in generating awareness about mental illness. Almost in every household people are suffering from depression.”

Citing the example of his own daughter Shaheen Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt said, “My daughter Shaheen, Alia’s elder sister, she, at the age of 16 discovered finally that she is suffering from clinical depression. In October, she is launching her own memoir in which she has talked about the kind of struggle she has gone through in that phase.”