Namit Das, who is currently shooting in Kolkata, has been exploring the city’s cultural heritage. In a candid chat with us, the actor spoke about the importance of addressing mental health issues affecting men, polarisation of Bollywood and more. Excerpts:

How can one describe working with a legend? I can only say I have learnt so much and I am still learning. The best thing about working with Mira is that everything becomes an unending conversation. She has such a big vision of the world.

You can stay away from it if you want to. About polarisation, it is not just Bollywood. The world seems to go through a time in which everything exists in two contrasting thoughts. The centre is missing. I think that is the challenge. It is like if I don’t agree with you, I’m against you. This idea scares me. If I put Bollywood in perspective, it is actually a very tough time. Social media has revealed the violent nature of human beings. Now, we know that people can be very cruel. It is great that you have an opinion and you can put it across in words on social media. But I don’t like the violence. I might have an opinion that is different from you, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t exist. The ethos of our country used to respect each other’s differences. That is hugely challenged, and Bollywood hasn’t been spared. Everyone in the industry has to face it. Resilience is the key. Sometimes silence is loud enough.

Addressing mental health issues is anyway difficult, especially for men. The ‘macho’ traits, like ‘I don’t cry’ and ‘I ought to be strong’, need to be addressed. Vulnerability is what makes us human. And if we accept this vulnerability, it will help us become more comfortable. Our industry is a difficult place to exist. It looks all glamorous from outside, but behind all those beautiful Insta posts, there’s a lot of suffering. Your private life is not very private. When there is no work, no one wants to talk about you. It is important that we talk about mental health in this scenario.