Deepika Padukone scolds paparazzi for posting, monetising videos of Sushant Singh Rajput without ‘family’s consent’

Actor Deepika Padukone hasn’t made a direct comment on Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, but has used her platform to highlight everything from mental illnesses to sensitive journalism. Deepika recently commented on a post by a Bollywood paparazzi account on Instagram. The post showed Sushant’s body being taken from the hospital to the crematorium.

The video was captioned, “Please note my images and videos cannot be posted on any platforms without my written consent.” Deepika replied in the comments section, “Right. But it is OK for you to take this video and not only post it but also probably monetise it without his or his family’s written consent?” Deepika’s fans appreciated her gesture. “Well said,” one person wrote in reply to her comment. “Agree with you,” wrote another.

On the day of Sushant’s death, Deepika had written on Instagram, “As a person who has had a lived experience with mental illness, I cannot stress enough about the importance of reaching out. Talk.Communicate.Express.Seek help. Remember, You are not alone. We are in this together. And most importantly, there is Hope.”

Sushant died by suicide last week, at the age of 34. He was suffering from depression. Deepika has long been an advocate for mental health awareness, and founded the Live Love Laugh foundation to propagate the cause. On Twitter, she requested the media to maintain sensitivity while reporting a suicide.

Also read: Video shows Deepika Padukone name Sushant Singh Rajput when asked who is the best actor, fans say ‘She knows hard work’

She also busted several myths about mental health in successive social media posts. “Repeat After Me. You cannot snap out of depression,” she’d written recently. Before that, the actor wrote, “Repeat After Me. Depression is not the same as sadness,” and “Repeat After Me. Feeling depressed is not the same as feeling sad.”

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918

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