Robin Uthappa speaks out on depression after Sushant Singh Rajput’s death

Robin Uthappa during an IPL match in Mumbai, on May 5, 2019. (Photo: IANS)


Expressing his shock which is “beyond understanding”, India batsman Robin Uthappa on Sunday said it is completely fine to be not fine and one should always speak up about what’s going on in the mind in the aftermath of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.

Rajput was found dead at his Bandra residence on Sunday morning in an apparent suicide, a police official said. It is still unclear but there are talks about him battling depression.

Uthappa, a key member of the 2007 World T20 winning Indian team, had recently revealed that he battled clinical depression and suicidal thoughts for nearly two years during his career, a phase when cricket was perhaps the only thing that kept him from “jumping off a balcony”.

“Shocked beyond understanding. Cannot imagine the pain you must’ve been going through
@itsSSR. My heart and prayers go out to your family. Rest in peace,” Uthappa said in a tweet.

“I cannot reiterate this enough. WE NEED TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WE FEEL WITHIN. we are stronger than we understand and IT IS COMPLETELY OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY. #depression #MentalHealthMatters,” Uthappa added.

Rajput, 34, hailed from Bihar and was educated in Patna and New Delhi, before shifting to Mumbai.

He was known for his portrayals in TV serials like “Pavitra Rishta”, films “Kai Po Chhe”, “Shuddh Desi Romance”, the biopic “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story”, “Kedarnath” and “Chhichore”, among several others.

Bollywood and sportspersons reacted with shock and disbelief on hearing the news of Rajput’s death.