From a distance, the lives of our favorite Bollywood stars look dazzling, perfect, and fun. However, their inner lives are just as imperfect as ours. They also struggle with common things in life, and one of the most common problems that the Bollywood fraternity deals with is drug and alcohol addiction. From Ranbir Kapoor to Kangana Ranaut, many celebrities have opened up about their struggles with substance abuse. Here, we discuss top Bollywood celebrities who have opened up about this and how they overcame this.
1. Honey Singh
The rapper-turned-star, well-known for his Punjabi music and raps, has an extensive history of alcohol addiction. In a 2016 interview, Honey Singh spoke up about his addiction issues, which caused him to take an 18-month hiatus from the profession. After he vanished without explanation, there were whispers that he had checked himself into a treatment facility to address his drug addiction. He refuted such claims in an interview with Times of India, adding, however, that he was receiving alcoholism treatment. He shared, “I must admit that I was bipolar and that my alcoholism exacerbated the condition.”
2. Manisha Koirala
Manisha Koirala, an inspiration to many with her battle against illness, revealed in her book “Healed” that she would have a drink to take her mind off things. She opened up about the effects of alcoholism on her health and profession. The actress mentioned that while many individuals turn to alcohol as a cure, this is undoubtedly not the case. She also noted that different people develop alcoholism for various reasons. Manisha had said in an interview with a news source that we should take control of our circumstances rather than being victims in life, whether it be with alcohol or in relationships.
3. Fardeen Khan
After being caught in possession of a narcotic that was illegal in India, Fardeen Khan, who had a respectable Bollywood career, made headlines. To overcome his drug addiction, the actor was subsequently admitted to an addiction rehabilitation facility in 2001. Now that he has overcome his addiction, the actor is leading a content life.
4. Kapil Sharma
Without question, one of the most well-liked and well-known comedians in the business is Kapil Sharma. In a short time, Kapil has received a great deal of affection and praise from his fans and other people. But at the height of his success, he developed an alcohol addiction. It is said that his addiction began to interfere with his job. After that, Kapil started treatment at an addiction treatment facility to overcome his struggle with alcohol.
5. Prateik Babbar
In his past interviews, Prateik Babbar has talked candidly about his struggle with addiction. He acknowledged his crazy days when he wasn’t being truthful with himself. “People were unaware of a certain aspect of my life,” he remarked. “I wasn’t treating myself well, and I wasn’t happy.” I had a severe addiction. It was a serious issue. Now completely sober, he encourages people to open up about their addiction and talk about it. He feels this would make overcoming addiction easier for people.
6. Pooja Bhatt
Pooja Bhatt, an actress and filmmaker, first shared her battle with alcohol addiction in a 2017 interview with Mumbai Mirror. However, on Christmas Eve of 2016, she decided to give up drinking, thanks to the talk with her father, Mahesh Bhatt. Poja Bhatt has always been vocal about the difficulties women struggling with substance abuse have and asked for assistance in the interview. To overcome the addiction, Pooja Bhatt accepted her pain and emptiness and started on her journey to recovery. Now, she has been sober for seven years.
7. Dharmendra
During the 2012 film premiere of Yamla Pagla Deewana, the actor shared that he had struggled with the effects of alcoholism for the last fifteen years. He also talked about how his drinking almost wrecked his career since he grew so addicted to it. However, Dharmendra quit drinking in 2011 and has been enjoying life sober. The 77-year-old veteran shares that developing a strong interest in writing helped him overcome his addiction.
8. Javed Akhtar
The famous screenwriter, lyricist, and poet Javed Akhtar shared his struggle with addiction in an interview with Zoom News. He said, “I have no regrets, as people often say.” However, I regret things. Of these seventy-five years, the last ten were squandered entirely on alcohol. I made better use of those years, which I dispersed over my life, by picking up a musical instrument or another language.
9. Sanjay Dutt
The “Rocky” actor Sanju Baba battled substance abuse for nine years. In his past interviews with Simi Garewal, Dutt shared that he was addicted to LSD. “It was such an ‘in’ thing at that time, which started as an innocent curiosity turned into a life-threatening addiction.” However, Sanjay Dutt did not allow his past to determine his future; he decided to take control of his life and overcome addiction.
Powerful Stories of Resilience and Recovery
The recovery journeys of these eight Bollywood superstars from drug and alcohol addiction serve as a motivating example of human spirit and resiliency. They faced their problems head-on and overcame them, inspiring many people despite the difficulties. Their experiences serve as a reminder that everyone can recover and that there is always time to make positive changes in their lives if they have the proper support, willpower, and self-belief. These stars are still shining on the big screen as rays of hope for others struggling with addiction.
These celebrities have all the money to spend for all the resources they can get to get out of this. Not everyone gets a second chance or have the resources.