Ram Charan's sister Sreeja on her mental health struggle: My identity was shaped by painful past
Mumbai, June 8
Tollywood star Ram Charan's younger sister and Megastar Chiranjeevi's daughter, Sreeja Konidela, got candid about her mental health struggle during a recent post on social media.
In a video uploaded on her official Instagram account, Sreeja revealed that for a long time, she allowed her identity to be defined by everything she had been through in the past. However, she recently chose to heal and come out of 'victimhood'.
Sreeja further admitted that she would often think about why she was going through all this.
She was heard saying in the clip posted on social media, "I was stuck in a space asking, why is this happening to me, and why am I going through so much pain? Why is there a struggle after struggle, and what did I do to deserve this? And in this journey, I moved from that space of victimhood and to understanding that life just doesn't happen to me, but I have the power to create it."
Sreeja added that for a large part of her life, her identity was shaped by her painful past.
"For most of my life, I identified myself with my pain, my past, my struggles. To me, my identity was shaped by everything that went wrong in my life. But through this program, I started to see beyond that. Yes, my pain is still a part of me, but that's not all that I am, and there is so much more to a person, and discovering those layers has been one of the most beautiful parts of this journey for me," she went on to add.
For the unversed, at the tender age of 19, Sreeja eloped with her 22-year-old boyfriend, Shirish Bharadwaj, in 2007. Following an Arya Samaj wedding in Hyderabad, they even sought media and police protection, citing opposition from her family. The couple welcomed their daughter, Nivrithi Bharadwaj, in 2008.
However, in 2011, Sreeja filed a dowry and harassment case against Shirish and his family, and their divorce was finalised in 2014.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I appreciate her courage, it's a bit easy for a star kid to talk about 'choosing healing' when you have all the resources in the world. Many common people can't afford therapy or time off. Still, good message. ♂️
So proud of her! Mental health stigma is real everywhere, but especially in Indian families. The fact she's from a famous family and still being vulnerable... that takes real strength.
Good for her, but I can't help feeling this is somewhat performative given her family's history. Still, mental health awareness is needed, so if this helps even one person, it's worthwhile.
The message of moving from 'victimhood' to empowerment is powerful. We all have pain, but we're not defined by it. So many women in India need to hear this, especially those dealing with failed marriages or societal pressure.
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