Prakash Padukone Opens Up On What Truly Drove Deepika To Fight For Mental Health

Deepika Padukone has long been one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actors, but her decision to speak openly about her struggle with depression made her stand out in a different way altogether. It was a conversation that went beyond cinema and touched millions of people across the country. Now, her father and legendary badminton player Prakash Padukone has shed light on the family’s journey during that time, including what truly motivated Deepika to take her mental health advocacy to the next level.

Family Backed Deepika Fully

In a conversation on The Something Bigger Show with Rodrigo Canelas, Prakash shared that the family was completely on board when Deepika came to them with her decision to speak publicly about her depression. “We were fully supportive. She came to us and discussed it, and we had no objections at all. If sharing her experience could help others, we felt it was a positive thing to do,” he said. He further revealed that after one of Deepika’s close friends passed away, she became even more driven to spread awareness about mental health, and that was the turning point that led her to think about setting up a foundation dedicated to the cause.

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A Father’s Perspective

Prakash was also candid about what he personally took away from his daughter’s experience. He stressed that mental and physical health should always be a priority and that people must not ignore signs of emotional distress. “If you are struggling, talk to someone. It could be a friend, a family member, a therapist, or a professional. The worst thing is to keep everything bottled up inside because that is when problems can grow,” he said. He also pointed out that no one should feel ashamed to talk about mental health and that those in a position to help others by sharing their experiences should be encouraged to come forward.

Deepika founded her organisation Live Love Laugh in 2015, with the aim of reducing the stigma around mental illness and making mental health resources more accessible to people. Prakash said she will be remembered not just for her work in cinema but for the meaningful difference she has made in the mental health space.

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On the work front, Deepika will next be seen with Shah Rukh Khan in King and will also appear in the Telugu action thriller Raaka alongside Allu Arjun. On the personal front, she and husband Ranveer Singh are expecting their second child. The couple, who are already parents to daughter Dua, announced the pregnancy through a joint social media post on April 19, 2026.

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