Vijay Varma is one of the most versatile actors in Bollywood, who has always entertained us with his acting chops. In a recent interview, he opened up about his battle with depression during the lockdown, revealing how isolation and loneliness took a serious toll on his mental health. He shared how Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira Khan helped him during that phase.
Vijay Varma on battling depression
In a conversation with Rhea Chakraborty, Vijay Varma recalled the lockdown period, and said, “I was all alone in an apartment in Mumbai. Luckily, I had a small terrace — I could see the sky, be with the elements. Otherwise, I would’ve gone mad. Actually, I did.” He said that being all alone for months was very tough, and he felt extremely lonely and afraid. “And then one day, I realised — why can’t I move from my couch for four days? What’s going on?” recalled Vijay Varma.
He further revealed that Ira started doing Zoom workouts with him, and recognised something was off. “At that time, Ira and Gulshan were like my little support system. Ira was assisting on Dahaad, and we had all become good friends during the shoot. We’d video call each other on Zoom, have dinners — that was our circle. But I kept deteriorating. Ira was the first to point out, ‘Vijay, I think you need to start moving a little,’” he said.
He further added, “Eventually, I spoke to a therapist because I was just unable to move. I met her on Zoom and was diagnosed with anxiety and depression — pretty severe at that time. She said, ‘If it’s manageable, fine; otherwise, we’ll consider medication.’ I said let me see.’” He said that he turned to therapy and yoga for healing.
Vijay Varma`s upcoming movies
Workwise, the actor has a great lineup in his kitty. He is currently gearing up for the release of Gustaakh Ishq. The romantic drama, produced by Manish Malhotra, stars Fatima Sana Shaikh in a pivotal role. Apart from this, he is set to make his Tamil debut alongside Suriya in Puranaanooru. The film also stars Dulquer Salmaan and Nazriya Fahadh. He also has web series, Matka King, with Kritika Kamra in his kitty.