Earlier this week, Janet Jackson penned an open letter in which she talks about her struggles with mental health issues. The UK appointed a Minister for Loneliness this year. Closer home, actor Anupam Kher shared a video on Twitter last week to raise awareness about depression.
There are several conversations opening up about such topics that were considered taboo, and a new podcast on the IVM platform has joined the airwaves. ‘Marbles Lost and Found’ is the brainchild of freelance music producer Zain Calcuttawala, with the first episode launched last week.
Talk it out
“It came about from my desire to talk about my depression, how I lived with it rather than seek help for it and to explore how I could help others in my position. About a year and a half ago, I opened up about it on Facebook. The resulting conversations I had with people who wanted to get involved led to this podcast,” he says. The team includes co-host Avanti Malhotra, Nisha Vasudevan, Ujaala Chaudhuri and Shadaab Kadri.
Calcuttawala says that he and Malhotra will cover a range of topics. “This includes Therapy 101, mental health and illness as depicted in pop culture, its implications with respect to gender roles, among others. In our first episode (out now), we talk about our struggles so the audience can relate to us, and understand that we know what they are going through,” he says. The conversation is friendly and feels unscripted, with a palpable sense of vulnerability and honesty woven through. And if a bit of privilege slips into the conversation — considering taking a gap year after school, for instance — we assume such issues will be addressed in the following episodes.
The WHO’s Mental Health Atlas 2017 highlighted a global shortage of personnel trained in mental health issues and lack of investment in community-based mental health facilities. In the absence of such avenues to seek help, such podcasts are a great way to make these topics mainstream. There are other podcasts on the topic — Hidden Brain, that takes a scientific look at the issue; Mental Illness Happy Hour, which takes a light-hearted, yet empathetic approach to the subject; Invisibilia, which blends psychological science and real life narratives — but there are none in the Indian context.
Calcuttawala says that ‘Marbles’ hopes to fill the gap, and encourage people to seek help, open up to the ones closest to them. “It is hard not to feel alone, but there is always someone who understands,” he concludes.
Listen to Marbles Lost and Found on the IVM App or website, Saavn1, YouTube, SoundCloud, Audioboom, and HeadFone. An episode releases every Tuesday.
