Ira Khan, Depression, & “Broken Homes”: Kangana's Half-Baked Opinions

A child whose parents are divorced, does not automatically come from a “broken home”, as Ira Khan, the daughter of actor Aamir Khan’s first marriage, clarified on her Instagram page yesterday. Ira’s post was a follow-up to her revelation last month that she had been suffering from clinical depression for four years. Ira’s admission of her mental health struggle was quickly pounced on by actress and Twitter opportunist Kangana Ranaut, who, true to form, made it about herself by sharing her own struggles from her teenage years before saying “there can be many reasons for depression but it’s generally difficult for broken families children”. Ira took to Instagram to refute this statement while also providing an update on how she has been coping with depression.

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HINDI VERSION – LINK IN BIO. I never spoke to anyone about anything because I assumed that my privilege meant I should handle my stuff on my own, or if there was something bigger, it would make people need a better answer than “I don’t know.” It made me feel like I needed a better answer and until I had that answer, my feelings weren’t something I should bother anyone else with. No problem was big enough to ponder too long about. What would anyone do? I had everything. What would anyone say? I had said it all. I still think there’s a small part of me that thinks I’m making all this up, that I have nothing to feel bad about, that I’m not trying hard enough, that maybe I’m over reacting. Old habits die hard. It takes me feeling my worst to make myself believe that it’s bad enough to take seriously. And no matter how many things I have, how nice to me people are because of my dad, how nice to me people are because they love and care about me… if I feel a certain way, a certain not nice way, then how much can rationally trying to explain these things to myself do? Shouldn’t I instead get up and try and fix things? And if I can’t do that for myself? Shouldn’t I ask for help? . . . #mentalhealth #privilege #depression #repression #divorce #sexualabuse #letstalk #betterlatethannever #letitout #depressionhelp #askforhelp

A post shared by Ira Khan (@khan.ira) on Oct 31, 2020 at 10:02pm PDT

Ranaut seems to have a topsy-turvy relationship with depression, and those who suffer from it. On one hand, she seems to be full of empathy for the struggle Ira is going through, while on the other, she relentlessly mocks Deepika Padukone, another celebrity who has gone public about their battle with depression, for running a “mental illness ki dukaan”. And even when she is apparently expressing solidarity with Ira, Ranaut couldn’t resist taking a jibe at her family background, also saying “traditional family system is very important”.

At 16 I was facing physical assault, was single handedly taking care of my sister who was burnt with acid and also facing media wrath, there can be many reasons for depression but it’s generally difficult for broken families children, traditional family system is very important. https://t.co/0paMh8gTsv

— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) October 12, 2020

In Ira Khan’s case, Ranaut seems to accept mental illness, but goes on to demonise divorce. While parental separation can harm the offspring, Ira mentioned that, “When I was small, my parents got divorced. But that didn’t seem like something that would traumatise me because my parents’ divorce was amicable. They are friends, the whole family is still friends. We are not a broken family by any means.” But then, Ranaut has plenty of experience in wading into conversations that have nothing to do with her and offering half-baked opinions.

Aamir Khan's daughter responds to right wing troll Kangana Ranaut, says "we are not a broken family by any means, parents' divorce did not traumatise me"https://t.co/rXVv2Tlog1

— Hindutva Watch (@Hindutva__watch) November 2, 2020

Now that Ira has cleared up the misconceptions created by Ranaut, we’re all back to guessing which topic Ranaut will attempt to make all about herself next.