Rashami Desai made candid revelations regarding her depression, which she battled with for as long as eight years, due to personal and professional issues.
Rashami Desai (real name Shivani Desai) is a prominent Indian television actress widely recognised for her versatile roles and participation in popular reality shows. She became a household name for her portrayal of 'Tapasya' in the long-running soap opera, Uttaran and also received acclaim for her role as 'Shorvari' in Dil Se Dil Tak. In a recent interview, the actress gave an insight into her personal challenges. As Rashami candidly talked about her depression, many of her fans must have found the courage to speak about their mental health issues as well.
In a January 2026 interview with Zoom, Rashami Desai opened up about her long-standing struggle with mental health, revealing that she battled depression for eight years. She described carrying a significant amount of emotional "baggage" that she struggled to let go of for nearly a decade. Describing her mental space at that time, the television star explained her depression was a result of her holding on to certain things. When Rashami stopped blaming others or fate, she got free from her lows. The 39-year-old shared that once she came to terms with her suffering, made peace with its cause, and chose to start afresh, things went better for her. Rashami stated:
"There was a period when I struggled with depression for eight years; it took considerable time. I had a lot of baggage that I was holding onto. It took me years to let go of everything and start anew, and now I am back. Toh mujhe aisa lagta hai ki aap khud apne highs aur lows tay karte ho."
Rashami Desai's mental health issues were compounded by personal trauma, including a public separation from ex-husband and Uttaran co-star, Nandish Sandhu. Following her divorce, Rashami faced severe financial hardship. The abrupt cancellation of one of her TV shows left her with no income source, and she was reportedly burdened with a debt of around Rs. 3.5 crore (approximately USD 420,000 at that time). During this difficult period, she had nowhere to stay for four days and was forced to sleep in her Audi A6, surviving on low-cost meals.
The stress from Rashami Desai's situation also strained her relationships with friends and family. Her friends reportedly found her difficult to deal with because she would withdraw and not express her emotions, while her family felt her decisions were wrong, leading to feelings of isolation and being misunderstood. The immense stress also contributed to physical health problems, including the development of psoriasis, which further impacted her self-esteem due to hair loss and weight gain. Professional betrayals and challenges in her career added to Rashami's depression.
According to Rashami Desai, happiness is not something to be found externally but an internal state to be created. She took a long time to realise that she herself was capable of dictating her highs and lows, and her work helped her on her journey of self-reflection. In the same Zoom interview, Rashami credited her professional work as a source of peace that helped her regain balance in her life. She also resorted to counselling and professional help after several years of struggling on her own. Regarding her professional commitments being her "escape world", Rashami stated:
"Your journey is not dictated by anyone else. Work brings me tranquility. And this was also my escape world, which I realised much later. Now, I am working diligently on both fronts and maintaining a lovely balance."
What are your thoughts on Rashami Desai's candid revelations regarding her depression? Let us know.
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