Mannara Chopra is slowly returning to work after the untimely demise of her father, Advocate Raman Rai Handa, who passed away on June 16 this year. In her first conversation since the tragedy, the actress opens up about the emotional turmoil she went through and how therapy and family support helped her cope.

She admits that processing the loss was overwhelming and filled with unanswered questions. “It was very difficult for me to process it. It’s also because I’m not just an emotional person but I am overtly emotional about everything. So, I had so many questions in my mind, like when he was here in Mumbai, why this happened and how come when this happened, I was there in Delhi. I was going through an emotional turmoil. But it’s always been the case that I believe that work is one thing which has really led my life," she tells us.

Talking about how she sought help, Mannara says therapy became an essential tool to get through her darkest days. “I would not deny from the fact that I had to go through a lot of therapy to be able to cope up with the loss. I remember a lot of my friends were even trying to reach me at that point of time and I kind of faded. I didn’t really meet anybody after that. The therapies really helped. And I realized I’ve grown up, I am a responsible person, earning for myself, earning for my family, taking care of my mother," she reflects.

The actress reveals that the experience changed the way she looks at people and relationships. “Apart from that, I also started valuing my relationship out of work because I think I’ve always been a very workaholic person. I value my friendships a little more and I value my relatives… because I think they were the ones, there with us, holding us," she states.

She adds, "I’m still navigating through grief. I still have so many thoughts in my head. I believe that what is bound to happen will happen... Sometimes you feel, I have not done enough for my parents in terms of giving them time, because you’re working. Now when I meet people, I tell them, you should spend time with your family. I have learned that life is very short."

What finally gave her strength to return to work, Mannara shares, was a powerful dream. “One day I just got a dream where my father only said, 'Now you return back to your work'. From that day onwards I’ve only been concentrating on my work," she concludes.