BENGALURU : He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. With an illustrious family background, one would assume that Sidhartha Mallya, son of business tycoon Vijay Mallya, has it all. But appearances can be deceptive. That's exactly what Mallya junior highlights in his debut book, If I'm Honest. On Sunday morning, Mallya was in conversation with musician Kenishaa Francis at a virtual session organised by Karnataka Event Management Association (KEMA).
Being the son of a high-profile businessman definitely comes with a lot of baggage. From personal attacks to the outpouring of grief, Mallya has faced them all. The book, which hits stands next week, has garnered much curiosity, especially owing to his lineage.
In 2016, Mallya junior went through depression. Something that came as a bit of a surprise to him, given that he seemingly had the world at his feet: he was young, had just graduated from a prestigious drama school and had upcoming film projects.
However, despite all the wonderful opportunities that awaited him, he felt desperately unhappy, constantly low and like his insides were being crushed by a vice. That was when Mallya realised that something was not right and sought professional help.
Thus began the journey to understanding his current mental state as well as an exploration of the other mental issues he has suffered throughout his life and where they might have stemmed from. "I felt like I had a dementor on my shoulder, sucking the life and happiness out of me. It was at that point I realised I needed to do something about this; that it was no way to live. So I decided to seek professional help," says Mallya, whose book also delves deep into his struggle with depression, living with OCD, the effects of his parents' divorce, why he quit drinking - and also what helped him face and overcome his challenges.
Mallya, who has worked on the book for the last eight months, believes that being upfront about mental health is 'absolutely okay'. "Going to a spa for relaxation is considered logical. But why is consulting a therapist to address your mental health issue problematic? Advising a person struggling with mental health conditions needs to stop. One must listen to them, empathise and allow them to speak their mind," he says.
"I have had tears of joy and tears of pain seeing the comments and posts about my dad and me on social media. If you think star kids lead a very happy life, it is not true. It is difficult to manage the mental trauma and a lot has got to do with the upbringing," says Mallya whose father is yet to read the book.
"Maybe he will get hold of it soon," he adds. With the pandemic having given rise to an increased number of mental health issues with the loss of life and livelihoods, Mallya also pointed out that anyone can become a victim of mental health.
According to KEMA, the online session was meant to be a voice for those struggling to cope with mental health issues. "As event managers we were in deep trouble owing to the pandemic. It has impacted the
mental health of a lot of people in the industry. We’re hoping that, like Mallya says, many more will open up about the issues they have faced," says KEMA president Amit Singla.