• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

JFF 2025: The 13th edition of the Rajnigandha Presents Jagran Film Festival (JFF) recently concluded in Mumbai, following a successful run across Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj and Varanasi. The festival not only celebrated the power of cinema and storytelling but also encouraged open discussions on important social topics, including mental health and emotional well-being. Marking World Mental Health Day, several film personalities including Kajol, R. Balki, Inayat Verma, Mukesh Chhabra and Anup Soni spoke candidly about the significance of looking after one’s mental health. They emphasised that maintaining emotional balance is everyone’s responsibility, not just those working in the film industry.

Kajol shared her perspective, saying, “I think everyone should try acting at least once in their life, it’s a kind of therapy. Encourage your children to do it too, because it helps them express emotions in a healthy way. I even sang a song on top of a Mumbai taxi once! When you cry in front of the camera, people don’t laugh at you, they think you’re brave. It’s a release, and you genuinely feel better afterwards.”

Mukesh Chhabra expressed concern over how casually the word ‘depression’ is used today. He said, “Young people use the term so easily. My father went through depression after my mother passed away, and I saw how serious it can be. I wonder what some 18 or 19-year-olds have truly experienced to call it depression. It’s a very real and difficult condition.”

Siddhant Chaturvedi reflected on life through poetic words, saying, “I’ve seen life some of it is mine, some of it is yours. Some parts rise, others fall; some vanish, others stay. The real emptiness isn’t in fame or wealth, it’s within. We are the ones who imagine, create, and move forward, even building theatres out of clay puppets.”

ALSO READ: JFF 2025: From Aahana Kumra To Anup Soni, Stars Set To Shine At Jagran Film Festival In Meerut

Anup Soni highlighted the importance of communication, remarking, “It’s vital to talk to friends or family when you’re struggling. If you keep it bottled up, the problem only grows. Speak openly to someone you trust.”

The Jagran Film Festival this year became much more than a celebration of cinema, it was a celebration of people, stories, and shared emotions. By creating space for conversations about mental health, JFF reminded audiences that caring for the mind and heart is just as essential as celebrating creativity. Through its screenings, workshops and heartfelt dialogues, the festival continues to connect people across cities, proving once again that cinema is not just art but it’s empathy in motion.