How did Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput die? We all know he committed suicide. He took his own life. He took the extreme step. He made a choice―the ultimate choice, to give up everything; his stardom, his fame, the money that he earned and would have earned were he alive. It isn’t easy to stand on something tall and then hang oneself from a ceiling fan, which Sushant apparently did. It would have taken him a lot of courage to do it. Yet, many would say it’s an act of cowardice.
Sushant died once. That was it. A beautiful glamorous life, snapped at 34 years. Where was the need to do it, rational people will ask. He was bearing it so far, at least for the past six months, and was even being treated for his illness, depression. Couldn’t he have hung on for some more time and cured himself? What a waste of a precious life!
I can go on and on, analysing Sushant’s suicide. But I will still not find the answers. Because I am not Sushant Singh Rajput. No matter how hard I try and how clever I may be, I will never be able to get to the bottom of why he took his life.
Here I go again! Shouldn’t he have confided in someone; his parents, his friends before he did his irreversible act? Ah! Yes, why didn’t he pray to God? He loves everyone. He would have saved his life.
So, it seems that Sushant didn’t have much faith in God. He was not spiritual; it’s obvious, isn’t it? Would God ever forgive him?
As I write this, there is one thing I know.
Sushant died once. But I am killing him many, many times over by doing a shameless post-mortem of his death. And considering that there are millions of holier-than-thou people, including the media, who will analyse ad nauseam Sushant’s death, he would have died a million times in a few days from today.
Does any one of those analysing Sushant’s suicide know the real person that he was? Yes, he was handsome, he had charisma, he had mass appeal, his films were hits, he played Dhoni so well. That’s looking at him in a superficial manner.
Do we know what made him laugh and cry; what made him tick, what really drove him to take the extreme step? Do we know the real Sushant?
There are farmers and many other poor people, who commit suicide out of desperation, students end their lives when they fail in their exams, and some families even commit suicide together. Yes, there is a passing interest in these cases. Then all is forgotten and we move on to the next big news.
Yes, Sushant’s death is big news. And a great opportunity for all of us to feel spiritually superior. Boast to ourselves, “See how strong we are, emotionally and spiritually. Not like him, so weak in mind, body and spirit.”
Let us all instead examine ourselves and sincerely say that we have real compassion for Sushant and are not discussing him and reading with interest about him, because it makes us feel better, even superior.
Soon there will be so many generalisations flung around that Sushant’s death is a manifestation of the materialism that has engulfed our society…that all will be well if the lost Indian spirituality is reclaimed.
Doing a clinical analysis of Sushant’s death amounts to being voyeuristic and opportunistic. We don’t have the right to invade his privacy and pontificate on how he should have lived and what he could have done to avoid committing suicide.
It was not depression that killed him, but our callousness. Our treating him as a mere object of entertainment―our pleasure.
Can we imagine the pain that his family, near and dear ones and friends must be feeling each time a superficial story is written about Sushant?
Let’s face it. Sushant took his life because he was alone. God had plans for him―to live and prosper, for no harm to come to him, plans to give him hope and a future (The Bible-Jeremiah 29:11).
We have no right to judge him. For as the Bible says, (Mathew 7:2) ”Do not judge or you will be judged. For with the same judgement you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Let’s look at the bright side of Sushant Singh Rajput. Let’s see his boyish, friendly, laughing face and remember his Bollywood hits that gave us many, many hours of entertainment.
No matter what the end, he was after all, an inspiration for many young actors.
So let’s stop looking at the negatives and look at the brighter side of his life. May his soul rest in bliss for eternity.
May his soul rest in peace . My condolences to the bereaved family . I wish we will respect their privacy to mourn in private .
No analysis can make him alive again . It is seen generally that is the young who fall prey to the act of committing suicide . May be at this age they are more impulsive compared to the wisdom of age at the later age .
When the mind itself falls a prey to its own doing then there is nothing to revive it . Depression has to be treated before it becomes severe otherwise it reaches a point of no return . The human psyche becomes a victim of the paradigm shift of reality .
In Amritanadopanishad it is clearly stated that – ‘Mind is the problem as well as the solution.’
Our ancients seers have done a lot of work on mind, consciousness and being aware and modern psychology is taking help of these researches to delve into one’s psyche.
The habit of self introspection at an impressionable age can help us avoid many wrong decisions .
It is but obvious that one should keep aside a little time aside for spirituality in one’s busy schedule to know what they life is and how we can sustain it successfully without making errors
So true… so well written. I have battled depression off and on and I think this article is an eye opener not to judge those who go through depression. May his soul rest in peace.
What you have written is so true. Somewhere we try to look for reasons and pronounce judgement without even knowing the person. It’s sad for the ones left behind. One who dies just leaves the world for whatever reason as it will never be known to us.
We can only pray and hope that it does not happen to others. A bit analysis could be to understand the reason, so that it doesn’t happen in future. Farmers people forget because it is mostly assumed that they committed due to financial reasons. While one who has everything yet says goodbye to life makes one ponder. Though it’s impossible to know the reason except some assumptions here and there.
May his family stay strong in such a heartbreaking incident for them.
You are right for once , Nita
Oswald, you have written about Sushant Singh with such empathy and compassion that few people can write.
We humans have forgotten what it is to reach out to and listen to. Or lend a shoulder to cry on, to people who need us.
Few of us understand the pain or depression that many actors be it in Hollywood or Bollywood go through, while they smile for us and entertain us on screen.
And when such a person takes his life, we sit in judgement, moralising and killing not only him, but his family as you say a million times.
Well written, you have brought out the humane side of a glamorous personality.
If only, we could understand the depression our friends or family go through and be there for them!
All I can say is … each time I will see MSDHoni ..Sushant will surface on my mind….?? The young man made the cricket legend immortal ?? RIP Sushant singh Rajput.. you have gone where you will be valued more … ?
You are right, one should never judge. I think it should also become clear to us that a trusting friendship that one can confide in in times of distress and need is far more valuable than all the “fame” the world can throw on you. In the end regardless of ones status or wealth, underneath everything we all are human beings with human problems. I think we all need to stay alert in these difficult times and try to be someone our friends can confide in.
A beautiful life wasted… whatever the provocation, whatever the reason, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE.
Yes. I agree. We should not be discussing him as if its just a gossip thing. I have read many groups on what’s app claiming how strong they are because of their belief. Sushant alone knew his problems. Maybe we are not strong enough to be in his shoes and realize his problems. It’s easy to act as if he was weaker. I wish he hadn’t killed himself but yes we shouldn’t kill him again and again.
This is a balanced view. Many people are jumping to conclusions just on speculation. Nepotism has been there from times immemorial in every field. Moreover there are so many options now and a caucus can’t destroy one’s career so easily. The angle of endogenous depression also needs to be probed.
In the end all remains is postmortem, as someone says, “the eternal wound”.
Indeed, such has been the case of Sushant Singh Rajput. May God heal the wounded soul and wounded fans left behind. All that one can do is simply pray for him. Rest in Bliss ?
Yes, I agree, Baturam Ji, prayers is the answer; it works, always when done with faith.