New Delhi: Our emotional, psychological, and social well-being are all parts of our mental health. It influences our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Additionally, it influences how we respond to stress, interact with others, and make decisions. Every period of life, from infancy and adolescence to maturity, is vital for mental health.


If one has mental health issues, they may have an impact on their thinking, emotions, and behaviour over the course of their life. Mental health issues are widespread, but assistance is accessible. People with mental health issues can improve, and many make a full recovery. 


As far as the Bollywood industry is concerned, with the exception of a few movies, directors have demonstrated sensitivity when it comes to the representation of mental illness in movies throughout the past years. However, those that succeeded in doing so left a lasting impression on people who are struggling with mental health concerns. Here are a few movies that demonstrated the sensitivity of mental health problems impeccably.


1. 15 Park Avenue:


The film "15 Park Avenue" by Aparna Sen is a work of art. It centers on Meethi, a Schizophrenic played by Konkona Sen Sharma. The film illustrates the impact of schizophrenia on the sufferer, her family, and her relationships in a wonderful way that is so realistic and compelling.


A lady in her 30s with schizophrenia, Meethi is cared for by her mother and older sister Anu. Meethi, although not married, believes she has a husband and five kids who live at 15 Park Avenue in Kolkata and that her sister and mother are imprisoning her against her will.


Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness characterised by delusions, hallucinations, disorganised thoughts, speech and behaviour. Symptoms often start in early adulthood, come on gradually, and in many cases never go away. The causes of schizophrenia include genetic and environmental.


2. Taare Zameen Par:


Taare Zameen Par, directed by Aamir Khan sparked a discussion about a learning impairment that wasn't often discussed in mainstream movies but was actually more widespread than most of us realised.


We learned about the realities of the emotional strain and bullying that people with dyslexia have to deal with from classmates, instructors, and sometimes even their own families through Ishaan's character portrayed wonderfully by Darsheel Safari. In the movie, the topic of dyslexia was approached in a balanced and realistic manner.


Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects skills involved in reading, spelling and writing, although children with this condition will have normal intelligence and normal vision.


3. Dear Zindagi:


The character of Kaira portrayed by Alia Bhatt in Dear Zindagi was one of the most relatable ones ever seen on the big screen. The film focused on a variety of delicate subjects, from normalising therapy to discussing mental health difficulties with one's family. It effectively conveyed that while one's problems are real and understandable, they may still be resolved.


In Bollywood, Dear Zindagi is a breath of new air because it treats those who have mental health problems with empathy rather than hostility.


4. Heroine:


Kareena Kapoor, who played the key role in the film "Heroine," suffered from bipolar disorder. Although the movie focuses more on how her sickness affects her work than how it causes her illness, it nonetheless managed to shed awareness on the issue and its treatment.


Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness characterised by extreme mood swings. They can include extreme excitement episodes or extreme depressive feelings. People with bipolar illness, also known as manic-depressive disorder, frequently endure upsetting mood fluctuations that range from a frenetic state of mania to sadness. A "normal period" also separates these sharp mood fluctuations. This illness affects both men and women equally, regardless of ethnicity.


5. Barfi:


"Barfi!" addresses the complex bond between an autistic person (Priyanka Chopra), a deaf and mute person (Ranbir Kapoor), and a healthy person (Ileana D'Cruz). It was a refreshing movie that enters the world of the crippled without eliciting feelings of sympathy.


A young man with speech impairment named Barfi falls in love with Shruti, who is stunning. Although she also loves him, Shruti departs from him to wed Ranjit, a more prosperous guy. When Shruti and Barfi finally cross paths again months later, Shruti is dissatisfied with her marriage, while Barfi finds a new friend in an autistic girl named Jhilmil.


A wide variety of diseases collectively known as autism, or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), are characterised by difficulties with social skills, repetitive activities, speech, and nonverbal communication. Although the exact aetiology of autism spectrum disease is unknown, it is widely believed that anomalies in brain structure or function may cause the disorder. According to research, a variety of nongenetic, or environmental, factors contribute to the development of autism.