Being in the public eye has its own challenges, but there’s the advantage of being an inspiration. And Arjun Kapoor feels that decisions by global sporting icons, such as Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Ben Stokes, to prioritize their mental health, has started an essential conversation for today’s generation. The actor believes it has also highlighted the perception of one’s every action being scrutinized in a digital age.

“We’ve to encourage people who tell their story. We live in an era where we are constantly being monitored. It isn’t easy to not have any down time. So, when people like Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles and Ben Stokes speak up, we have to listen because what they are going through is reflective of what our generation is feeling,” he says.

The 36-year-old, who tackled mental health issues while fighting obesity in his formative years and was brutally trolled for the same, is grateful to these sporting stars. “These guys are legends who deal with immense pressure every single day and if they are sparking a conversation to prioritise mental health, we should listen very, very carefully. Not apples to apples at all, but when I was battling obesity, it was brushed aside as ‘just a fat guy who is privileged and he must be eating and having a good time’. No one bothered about what I was going through mentally,” the Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar actor explains.

He feels it is important to normalise these issues in society so that the youth know it is absolutely okay to not be okay. “We are surrounded by cameras and have to put up the best things for likes and comments. We hardly have time to connect with ourselves or our close ones without our phones. Plus, we have the pandemic which has us all too boxed up,” he observes.

And since it is not easy for everyone, when icons speak up, they have a huge influence on people. “Everyone should be allowed to go through their own journey because everyone has a unique journey,” he says.

He hopes society will be more caring to others’ issues. “We should aim to build an empathetic society where people love and care for each other and try and understand what the other person might be dealing with,” he adds.