Friend’s death inspired Deepika to do more for mental health: Father Prakash Padukone
Former badminton player Prakash Padukone said his actress daughter Deepika started The Live Love Laugh Foundation after the death of a friend. She said her family supported her going public on depression to raise mental health awareness.
When Deepika Padukone opened up about her battle with depression in 2015, it sparked a national conversation about mental health. But according to her father, Prakash Padukone, a close friend of hers died shortly afterwards, which inspired her to take her efforts beyond sharing her story and work towards creating more awareness.
visible on some big show Along with Rodrigo Canales, Prakash Padukone recalled that he and his wife Ujjala Padukone fully supported Deepika when she decided to speak publicly about her mental health struggles.
❮❯
In 2015, Deepika became one of the first major Bollywood stars to openly discuss her experience with depression. She later founded The Live Love Laugh Foundation, an organization focused on creating awareness about mental health and reducing the stigma associated with seeking help.
Recalling that period, Prakash said that the family had no objection to Deepika sharing her story if it could help others.
He said, “If she was helping others we had no objection to her going public, because she was in a position where she could help people. I think she realized that, so she came out and talked about it.”
He said the death of a friend shortly thereafter became a turning point.
“Then, a few months later, one of his friends died, and that’s when he decided that something needed to be done so that more people became aware. That’s when he started thinking about the foundation,” he said.
According to Prakash, Deepika later discussed the idea with her parents and explained that although many public figures advocate for issues like women’s empowerment or education, she wanted to focus on mental health.
He recalled encouraging him to pursue this initiative.
He said, “I told her, ‘Please go ahead and do whatever you want. It’s your choice. We’re happy to support it and I think that’s a good thing.’
Prakash Padukone on the stigma related to mental health
Prakash also spoke about the importance of addressing mental health without shame or hesitation. She said that despite mental health conditions being treatable, stigma often prevents people from seeking help.
The former badminton champion said the foundation, which has now completed almost a decade, has contributed significantly to raising awareness. He explained that its core message is simple: people should seek professional help for mental health concerns, just as they would for physical illness.
“If someone is feeling anxious, depressed or mentally unwell, they should consult a psychiatrist or another professional. There is no reason to feel ashamed, afraid or embarrassed,” he said.
Deepika Padukone on launching Live Love Laugh
Last year, Deepika reflected on the early days of the foundation during a conversation CNBC-TV 18. He recalled skepticism surrounding his decision to speak openly about mental illness and questions raised about his motives.
“There was a lot of skepticism when we started. Was it a publicity stunt? Was he being paid by a pharmaceutical company? We had to deal with all that,” he said.
Deepika said that despite the criticism, the team remained focused on their goal of normalizing the conversation on mental health.
“My dream is for mental health in India what street cricket is for India,” he said.
On the work front, Deepika Padukone was last seen in Nag Ashwin’s Telugu science-fiction drama Kalki: 2898 AD. She will be next seen in Siddharth Anand’s film KingWith Shahrukh Khan. She also has Atlee’s next with Allu Arjun.