Back | 
Print
News and media
Bollywood star embraces mental health awareness
19 February 2008
In Britain we hear a lot about rising young stars such as Keira Knightley, but Indian actress Konkona Sen Sharma is carving a name for herself in one of the world's biggest and fastest growing film industries – Bollywood. Konkona has played powerful roles in some of this cinema’s most accomplished and critically acclaimed recent films such as Omkara, Aaja Nachle and Page 3. Konkona is a special guest at South West London's forthcoming Happy Soul Film Festival in March to talk about her career, life in Bollywood and her challenging role as a young woman with schizophrenia in the film 15 Park Avenue.
15 Park Avenue – one of more than a dozen films featuring the 28-year-old actress – isn’t typical of mainstream Bollywood cinema. But it has had a profound impact on many in its audience.
Konkona says of the screening of the film: “There were people who have been moved, disturbed and touched. Lots of audience members have told us that there is someone in their extended family who’s had some kind of problem. Often in India mental health is quite taboo. Relatives with any mental health disorder are not part of everyday social activities.”
Directed by Konkona's mother, award-winning Director Aparna Sen, 15 Park Avenue tells the story of Meeti (Konkona Sen Sharma), a good-hearted young woman living in modern Kolkata (Calcutta) who is close to her single older sister Anjali (Shabana Azmi) and a handsome fiancé. All seems well until Meeti is diagnosed with schizophrenia, throwing her future into doubt, as overbearing and envious Anjali steps in to chase off Meeti’s 
suitor with fears of her worsening condition.
Konkona and other celebrities such as writer and actress Meera Syal will be joining forces to discuss the importance of better mental health awareness in the UK's South Asian communities where such subjects are rarely discussed and often remain taboo. A key message is that there are now many effective treatments and services available to help, so that people don't need to struggle on alone.
Konkona will be giving a question and answer session after the screening at 6.30pm of 15 Park Avenue at Wimbledon Odeon on Thursday 13 March where she will be interviewed by UK film-maker Pratibha Parmar. On the Friday, 14 March, there will be 'An Afternoon With Konkona Sen Sharma' at Odeon Putney at 2.00pm.
Award-winning Happy Soul Festival is a week-long film and arts festival with new movies, live music and arts dedicated to raising awareness of mental health among the Black and Asian communities of South West London.
All events at Happy Soul Festival are free but must be pre-booked in advance. Please call the Festival hotline on 020 8682 6375.
-ends-
For further information please contact:
Robert Smith,
Communications Manager, on 020 8682 5972 or at robert.smith@swlstg-tr.nhs.uk
or
Philippa Braidwood,
Head of Communications, on 020 8682 6477 or at philippa.braidwood@swlstg-tr.nhs.uk
Notes to editors:
1 Working with local organisations to promote the mental health of South West London, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (www.swlstg-tr.nhs.uk) aims to serve the mental health needs of everyone in the five London boroughs of Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.
Serving a local population of about one million people, the Trust is hoping to become a Foundation Trust and is inviting people who live in any of these boroughs, and also its staff, service users and their carers, to become members. It seeks to provide care and treatment to the best national standards, to help schools and employers to challenge stigma and to improve awareness of the importance of mental health.
2 This, the second Happy Soul Festival, is a festival of Asian, Black and Korean film, arts and music exploring well-being. It is organised by South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust, in partnership with: the Odeon Cinemas in Kingston, Putney and Wimbledon; the Bedford in Balham; the London Boroughs of Kingston-upon-Thames, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth; the Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust; Kingston Primary Care Trust; Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust; Wandsworth Primary Care Trust; the South London Refugee Association; the South London Tamil Welfare Group; Wandsworth Libraries African-Caribbean Community Library; Ethnic Minority Centre, Mitcham; Sound Minds; Southside Partnership and the Fanon Resource Centre; Battersea Technical College; Bishopsford Community School; South Wimbledon Community Centre; Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network; Buffalo Black and Asian Film Festival; Mo-am Flimz; Tartan Films; Film Daze; The High Commission of India; The Korean Embassy; the Film Section of The British Council; Asylum Welcome; Noorimco Car Hire Ltd; My Hotels; and ImagineAsia Ltd.
