New Delhi: Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui is no mood to change his views on mental illness, despite being roasted on social media for saying depression is an urban problem.
The controversy triggered after he told an interview that city dwellers ‘glorify’ insignicant emotions, adding that there is no case of depression in his village.
Siddiqui, known for films like Gangs Of Wasseypur and web-series like Sacred Games, is accused of ‘insensitivity’.
However, the actor claimed he was drawing on his experience in the village, where people will brook no claim of depression.
‘But if I go to my village, three hours from here, and say that I have depression, I will be slapped’ NDTV quoted him as saying.
Blaming overthinking as a cause of depression, he said in city people have everything at their disposal but still struggle with ‘these illnesses’.
He explained how pavement-dwellers allegedly get along with their lot and dance in the rain instead of being depressed.
The actor previously told Mashable India that his father would slap him if he complained about depression.
He said he came to know about depression, bipolar, anxiety only after coming to the city.
Blaming the city life he said as people earn more money, they get ‘these sort of illness as well’.
However, Siddiqui’s claim about depression as an urban problem has no supportive medical evidence.
NDTV reported citing WHO’s finding that ‘an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression globally and one out of 20 Indians’.
The actor is facing severe criticism on social media with many saying he is ignorant of mental illness.
At least some users blamed him for ignoring famer suicides, while asking him to learn more about mental health.