Isha Koppikar: Didn't know it was okay to say 'I'm not okay'

Mumbai, July 14 (IANS) Known for her work in films such as Kya Kool Hai Hum, Krishna Cottage, Ek Vivah Aisa Bhi, Shabri and Don, actress Isha Koppikar has encouraged open conversations around self-worth, resilience, and emotional well-being.

“Fame can be a double-edged sword. On one side, you have admiration and success, but on the other, there’s constant pressure to meet expectations that aren’t always real," Isha said.

The actress said that the industry needs to hear that it’s human to feel overwhelmed.

"You’re expected to smile through the stress, to keep showing up even when you’re breaking inside. For a long time, I didn’t know it was okay to say, ‘I’m not okay.’ I think more people in the industry need to hear that it’s human to feel overwhelmed and that you don’t have to suffer in silence,” she said.

The constant demand to perform, look flawless, and stay relevant can take a serious toll on mental health. However, Isha said that the “true strength isn’t about having it all together.”

She added: “You - just as you are - are enough. It’s a simple truth that many of us forget, especially in a world where everything is filtered and curated to suit appearances.

“True strength isn’t about having it all together, but about being real, being kind to yourself, and knowing that vulnerability is not weakness, but courage in its purest form."

The actress was last seen in the 2024 film “Ayalaan,” a science fiction film directed by R. Ravikumar.

The film stars Sivakarthikeyan and Rakul Preet Singh, alongside Sharad Kelkar, Isha Koppikar, Karunakaran, Yogi Babu, David Broughton-Davies, Bhanupriya and Bala Saravanan, with Siddharth voicing the titular role.

It follows Thamizh who teams up with Tattoo, an alien, to stop Aryan, a rogue scientist, from making a deadly Nova gas, which would endanger the Earth.

--IANS

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