Banrakas aka Durgesh Kumar of Panchayat 3 recalls feeling depressed when he got the role in the show; talks about the famous dialogue ‘Alhua Meeting’

Trigger warning: This article contains references to depression.

Durgesh Kumar is one of those outsiders who has ably backed several projects and played a key role in their huge success. Whether it was playing the role of Banraka in the popular TV series Panchayat or Ravi Kishan’s assistant Dubey Ji in Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, cinephiles now know him more for his characters than by his real name.

But in a recent interview, the actor admitted to battling depression while filming two of the most important projects of his career. Read on!

Durgesh Kumar reveals his battle with depression

During an exclusive chat with ETimes, Durgesh Kumar spoke about his work in popular films and TV shows like Highway, Sultan, Sanju, Dhadak, Panchayat and Laapataa Ladies. However, he also opened up about dealing with depression when his father suffered a brain haemorrhage.

The actor stated that he was scared at the time because he thought he would have to leave Mumbai and the industry to finance his expensive treatment. But fortunately, his father survived. However, the stress never left him. He felt anxious and depressed, which affected his mental and physical health.

The actor quickly sought medical help and took medication. “Honestly, I was shooting for Panchayat, Laapataa Ladies and Dedh Bigha Zameen during that time,” revealed Kumar. But the good thing is that he is completely fine now and always stays in touch with his doctors who advise him to take care of his body.

Durgesh Kumar shared his experiences of working with top actors in the Panchayat

In the same chat, Kumar mentioned that while working on the TV show Panchayat, he received a lot of love from the stars. Jeetendra Kumar always supported his improvisations while director Deepak Kumar Mishra created an environment where he could perform and thrive. He wrote good lyrics for him and everyone shot the show “like a family”.

About working with ace actors Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta, Kumar wrote that they are brilliant actors who always have fun with his improvisations. They also often hilariously asked him about his viral dialogue ‘Alhua Meeting’ and Kumar told them that he has seen such real-life characters and situations in his village. Hence, he draws inspiration from them and tries to recreate them in his roles.

Disclaimer: If you know someone who is having suicidal thoughts, suffering from anxiety, depression or is suffering from a serious mental illness, contact a local doctor, mental health professional or non-governmental organization for immediate help. Several hotlines are available for this purpose.