Bollywood actor Vijay Varma has opened up about his battle with depression and how Aamir Khan’s daughter, Ira Khan, played a key role in helping him recover. The actor shared his emotional journey of healing, self-discovery, and support.
The actor Vijay Varma is known for his powerful performances in movies like Dahaad and Gully Boy. Recently, Vijay Varma expressed one of the darker tracks of his life, a battle with depression and anxiety during the pandemic lockdowns. It was during this time that Ira Khan, daughter of Aamir Khan, reached out to Vijay and helped him get back on his feet.
Vijay Varma Reveals How Aamir Khan’s Daughter Ira Khan helped
To an emotional side of the discussion, Vijay Varma recounted times when he felt that days came where he could not even rise from the couch. Living alone during the lockdown deepened his loneliness and self-doubt. He could remember times when he would break down for hours, not able to stop his tears, utterly drained and feeling disconnected.
The actor stated, “One day, I realised, why can’t I move from my couch for four days? What’s going on? At that time, Ira ;Aamir Khan’s daughter and Gulshan Devaiah 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.’
When he realized something was deeply wrong, he went for therapy and evaluated medically. He said, “I was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. My therapist even suggested medication. I told her, ‘Let me try managing for now,’” he said.
Healing through Yoga and Reflection
According to Vijay, yoga was very helpful during his recuperation. Every session allowed the release of bottled-up emotions, with even instances of breakdowns in class, permitting finally an opportunity to face the pain he had been blocking for so long. He began his healing process with some serious workouts, psychotherapy, and reflection to rebuild his emotional power.
Much of his inner unrest stemmed from guilt, unresolved transactions concerning his leaving home to chase his dreams and the distance that created with his family. Healing meant going through that very painful process.
The Timeline of Recovery With the Help of Ira Khan
At his lowest point, Ira Khan first noticed changes in him. She was in constant contact with him via video calls, encouraging him to engage once again in some form of healthy movement, socialization, and expression of his struggles.
Vijay Varma mentioned having very few close people who expressed genuine concern for him. In the words of Vijay: “Ira was the one who pointed out that I needed to start doing something, even if it was small.” This simple act became the first step toward his recovery.