Amaran Star Sivakarthikeyan Opens Up About Slipping Into Depression, How Stage Became His Therapy

Amaran star Sivakarthikeyan recently joined other celebrities at IFFI 2024 in Goa . During an interaction with the jury, he shared some surprising revelations. He spoke about a difficult period in his life during college when he struggled with depression and grief after his father’s passing. Sivakarthikeyan revealed that performing on stage became his therapy, as the applause helped him overcome his sadness.

Sivakarthikeyan opened up about depression

Sivakarthikeyan shared his journey during a conversation with actor-politician Khushbu Sundar at the ongoing International Film Festival of India in Goa. Reflecting on his beginnings, the actor, who is enjoying the success of his latest military drama Amaran at the box office, revealed that his journey started as a mimicry artist during his engineering college days.

"My first stage was in my college when I was doing my engineering. My friends pushed me onto the stage and said, 'Do whatever you feel like, the audience should enjoy,'" Sivakarthikeyan recalled.

He also spoke about how entertainment became his solace after losing his father during his college years. "I was depressed. I didn't know what to do. To escape from the depression, from that sadness, I got onto the stage where claps and appreciation was the therapy," he said.

Sivakarthikeyan shared that he had contemplated quitting the industry

He also admitted to considering leaving the industry at one point, but his wife, Aarthi, encouraged him to persevere. Despite his continued career, he has deliberately stayed away from social media. 

"For the last two years, I've been using social media very little. If you want to use it, you use the internet. This is my kind advice, but don't use much of social media, especially Twitter. Maybe, I think Elon Musk might block my account; that will be the first success, I think, for me," he remarked.