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EXCLUSIVE: Tumbbad actor Sohum Shah recalls how his efforts to fit in Mumbai led him to seek therapy: ‘Learning acting was not difficult...'
Tumbbad actor and producer Sohum Shah was recently in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla wherein he opened up about trying to fit in Mumbai. He recalled seeking help and going for multiple therapy sessions for years.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to mental health issues.
Sohum Shah’s Tumbbad recently re-released in cinemas and is receiving love from the audience. While he enjoys the positive response to the folk horror film, we got him to talk about his film career, the movie, and everything in between. During the heart-to-heart with Pinkvilla, the actor-producer opened up about his struggles in Mumbai which led him to seek psychiatric help.
Recalling his initial days in Mumbai, the actor stated that it’s a city of dreams where people have to work really hard. Sohum Shah went back in time and reminisced about the time when he was hesitant to order a coffee at a café since he wasn’t fluent in English. The actor-producer stated that around 2012-14, there was a huge class difference.
“I wasn’t worried about how I would pay my bills, but I was having problems fitting in. I didn’t know anything and I had only watched four English movies. I would go to clubs and English songs were being played and that’s when you think ‘Where have I come?’ For me, learning acting was not difficult but learning the language was more important if I wanted to survive here. At that time, the situation was such that if you couldn’t speak English then you can’t play a lead,” Sohum stated adding that the language barrier was a major problem for him.
Watch the entire interview below:
The Tumbbad actor further stated that he had struggled with this for 10 years and that took a toll on his mental health. “I had to go to the therapist.” Sharing his experience of going to an expert for help, he added, “People have created a bracket that if you’re going to a therapist then you’ve some problem. It’s a very easy thing. It’s like going to a wise man for some suggestions.” Through our platform, he also urged people to seek help stating that there’s no shame in taking sessions with a therapist. Eventually, he started evolving, learning more about people and life in general.
Parallelly he was also making movies and learning acting and English. Moreover, he was also working on his Hindi pronunciation and accent. “I did all these things and finally reached where I am today,” he concluded.
Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, anxiety, going through depression, or suffering from a serious mental illness, reach out to a nearby doctor, mental health expert, or an NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.
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