There is something I have often wondered about the women around us. How many of them have learnt to say, “I’m fine,” even when they are not? A woman can be a daughter, a mother, a wife, a friend, a colleague, and a hundred other things to the people around her. She learns to show up, to take care of things, to keep going. And somewhere along the way, she may begin to feel that there isn’t enough room for her own worries, fears, or difficult days. Sometimes, she may not even know how to begin talking about what she is feeling. Sometimes, she may worry about being misunderstood. And sometimes, she may simply fear being judged for admitting that she is finding things difficult.
Mental health is deeply personal, but the silence around it is often shaped by the society we live in. This is one of the reasons the #KhulKeBolo campaign felt meaningful to me. Launched by Sony Pictures Networks India and the Royal Rajasthan Foundation, the campaign set out to encourage women to speak openly about their mental well-being and to remind them that asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of. I had the opportunity to be associated with the campaign as its ambassador, and to participate in conversations around a subject that deserves far more understanding than it often receives. What stayed with me was the simplicity of the message. Sometimes, we do not need to have the perfect words. We do not need to explain every feeling or justify why something is difficult for us. Sometimes, we simply need a space where we can speak without the fear of being judged, dismissed, or told that someone else has it worse.
I think we underestimate how much it can mean to be heard. We are often quick to offer advice, to find solutions, or to encourage someone to look at the brighter side of things. Our intentions may be good. But there are moments when listening patiently, without rushing to correct or comfort, can be just as important. And when someone does find the courage to speak, I hope we can meet that courage with kindness.
Mental health challenges do not always announce themselves. A person can be fulfilling every responsibility, smiling through the day, and still be carrying something that others cannot see. We may never know the whole story of the person sitting beside us, working with us, or sharing a home with us.
Perhaps that is reason enough to be a little more patient with one another. Being part of #KhulKeBolo gave me an opportunity to lend my voice to a conversation that I hope continues long after a campaign ends. Because awareness is only the beginning. We also need families, workplaces, friendships, and communities where people feel safe enough to ask for help, and where seeking professional support is met with understanding rather than shame.
I am grateful to everyone who helped bring this initiative to life, especially the people working to make mental health support more accessible and to create spaces where women can speak freely. If there is one thought I would like to leave here, it is this: we do not have to wait until someone is at their breaking point to ask how they are doing. We can listen a little more carefully. We can make fewer assumptions. We can remind the people in our lives that they do not have to carry everything alone. And perhaps, the next time someone asks us how we are, we can make it easier for them to answer honestly, too. Sometimes, change begins with something as simple as encouraging someone to speak.