Kapil Sharma’s troubles seem to be never-ending right now. Kapil was just about relaunch his career to reconquer his lost stardom, when things began going downhill for him again.
There was news about him cancelling shoots with popular stars. His show was rumoured to have failed to impress the audience. His public altercation with Sunil Grover on Twitter and recent rant about Salman Khan’s conviction, which turned abusive and ugly pretty soon, has prompted media and trolls to poke fun at the comedian.
However, as is always the case, there is another side to the coin that not many have considered. And this version of the story might just make you feel sorry for the disgraced comedian.
Soumyadita Bannerjee, a media professional, has taken to Twitter to express his concern over the recent actions of Kapil Sharma. According to him, Kapil’s antics show clear signs of deep depression, with the media circus only making it worse for him.
Soumyadipta penned down a Twitter thread, in which he clearly points out that everything the comedian has done so far can be attributed to depression. He urges his fellow journalists to stop and think about the bigger issue at the root of Kapil’s actions.
#FamilyTimeWithKapilSharma will not air tonight. Instead you will see reruns of old episodes. I urge my media colleagues to focus on the bigger issue that is lurking in the darkness where nobody is looking. Kapil Sharma is obviously suffering from deep depression. (Thread)
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
He highlights the fact that many famous names who’ve made us laugh have battled with depression: Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Owen Wilson, Ellen DeGeneres, and so on.
It's a common phenomenon that the best comedians suffer from deep depression. The humour that makes you laugh hysterically also has a devil twin that lurks in the deepest crevices of the human mind. Some of the greatest comedians were suicide prone and history is witness to that.
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
He cites examples of Kapil’s actions so far, including his refusal to work, and his rage against journalist Vicky Lalwani over a phone call, as red flags indicating his depression.
Every move of Kapil Sharma is screaming of deep depression and this immediately needs attention from his friends: Example 1. Like not being able to report to work. 2. Saying "Jee Nahi Karta" when asked to work 3. Seeking refuge in alcohol 4. A tendency to cut himself off 5. Rage
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
The journalist then calls out his media colleagues for making a mockery out of the whole issue and for missing the signs.
It is heartbreaking to see the media is reporting the obvious signs of depression as "unprofessional attitude". Last night I saw senior journalists are putting out humourous polls on Twitter about Kapil Sharma's irrational behavior. My humble submission: have not really noticed?
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
What’s worse though, is that according to Soumyadipta, these very journalists have been made aware of Kapil’s condition by his friends! And yet they’ve continued to conduct ‘Twitter polls’ that make fun of the issue.
Reporters have been duly informed by Kapil Sharma's friends that he is suffering from depression & it is taking on a dangerous form. The problem is, my media friends are aggravating it by continuously writing articles on it. Will you blame yourself if he does something drastic?
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
The question is, if the comedian were to take any drastic step, would the media, who aggravated the situation and propelled him towards it, take responsibility?
There are allegations that some people are instigating the press by feeding rumours to them. The problem: they will instantly wash their hands off when something drastic occurs. The journalists will be the first ones to report such incidents without an ounce of remorse.
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
Soumyadipta’s next few tweets were a plea for help.
The journalist urged people to take this issue seriously and help Kapil get out of the dark rabbit whole he is falling into.
Kapil Sharma is one of the best comedians India has seen. He has achieved dizzying heights of popularity which is unfathomable to the English media. It's our collective duty to do something about his suffering and not aggravate it. I urge everybody reading my tweets to act
— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
He hopes that his pleas would reach the right people, who can help the troubled comedian through these troubled times.
Please reach out to @deepikapadukone @RethinkDep @TLLLFoundation and tag anybody you know who deal with depression and those who can reach out to Kapil Sharma to ease his pain.
I know my appeal will fall on deaf ears. But I will go to sleep today thinking that I have tried.— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
In his own version of a Twitter poll, he leaves his followers with a choice:
Which my dear friends, you won't be able to.
I leave you with two choices here.— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
Taking inspiration from the fact that today is World Health Day, Soumyadipta makes one last attempt to turn the tables in favour of Kapil Sharma, who he believes is in desperate need for help.
Today is #WorldHealthDay. Maybe today we can make a difference by caring about #MentalHealth. We can help Kapil embrace life again and he can inspire a million others to do the same. Let's do something positive instead of putting out articles that may destroy a person.
Possible?— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
He signs off, apologizing for his typos, and leaving everyone who reads the thread with a lot to ponder about.
Sorry about the typos etc. I tweeted in a hurry. And from the heart.
(Thread ends)— Soumyadipta (@Soumyadipta) April 7, 2018
The observations made in the above thread stand on reasonable foundations. Kapil Sharma has spoken up about his depression, and how he turned to alcohol. Does his recent behaviour indicate his relapse? Are these antics, in fact, the troubled comedians silent cries for help?
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Kapil’s ex-girlfriend Preeti Simoes has claimed that the Kapil she witnessed right now is not the same man she knew before.
These revelations only further strengthen the argument that the comedian might be in dire need of help. What do you think?