EXCLUSIVE: Karishma Tanna Opens Up On Battling Depression After Ranbir Kapoor’s Sanju; Admits, “I Expected Getting Meatier Roles After This, But…”

Karishma Tanna opened up on the emotionally challenging phases of her career after the release of Sanju. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, despite earning praise for her brief but impactful role, she expected the film to open doors to stronger opportunities. When that didn’t happen, it deeply affected her, leading her into a phase of self-doubt and emotional withdrawal. Karishma reflects on the disappointment, the pressure of expectations, and how she slowly navigated her feelings. Scroll down to read what she said and watch the full interview.

Karishma Tanna On Battling Depression After Sanju

When asked about the phase when she was battling depression after Ranbir Kapoor’s Sanju, Karishma Tanna clarified, “Dekhiye, ek human nature hota hai na, ki aap ek bahut badi film mein ho, placement aapki correct hai, you are seen with the correct stars, correct actors. Aur bhale woh ek scene ho, do scene ho, doesn’t matter… but aapki placement agar film release hone ke baad critics aapke baare mein bolte hain, bhale aapke do–teen scenes hi ho, par agar notice kar le rahe hain aur aapka naam le rahe hain, toh you feel good about it. Ki bhai, maine bhale hi do–teen scenes kiye, par main stand out hui us chhote se role mein. Mujhe pata tha that it’s a very small role, but I knew it was a very impactful role, you know, a funny impactful role. I had one song also.”

The actress continued, “Toh, I expected that after that… jaise hota hai na, koi actor ek chhota sa role karta hai, par woh pick up ho jaata hai, aur uske baad unki life change ho jaati hai, I had expected something on those lines. Ki chhota sa role hai, critics are talking about it, I will get good, meatier roles after that. Human nature hai. Dekho, agar accha role nahi hota aur aise hi aake chala jaata, toh mujhe samajh mein aata ki theek hai, next time I will think better and take a good project, a right project. But logon ne iske baare mein bola. Main jahan-jahan gayi hoon, people have said, ‘Arey, Pinky, Pinky’ — abhi bhi kabhi-kabhi mujhe Pinky bolte hain.”

Karishma On What She Expected After Sanju

Karishma added, “So that made a lot of impact on the audience. And after that, it was just human to expect meatier roles. And I didn’t get it. So I just went into my shell, thinking: I don’t know what people want from me anymore. I don’t know kaunsi journey, kaunsa path mujhe lena chahiye. Mujhe laga tha ki chhota role hoga, but impactful role hoga, toh mujhe kuch toh milega. But it didn’t happen, so meatier roles, I was not getting back then. So I was thinking that I don’t know what this industry wants from me. I mean, I will just kind of give up and not expect anything from anybody. Let it just be. I was in that zone. Yeh feeling ek saal, derh saal chali.”

Karishma On Seeking Therapy For Depression

Speaking about whether she sought any therapy for this period, the actress said, “No, I used to read a lot of books on it. I used to go online and check — is it normal? I met a lot of actors, normal people, and I kept myself busy. Maine professional help toh nahi li, but mujhe lagta hai main self-help bhi karti hoon achhi tarah se. Because jab aapko pata nahi hota what is depression, jab aapko pata nahi hota anxiety kya hoti hai, toh aapke liye difficult ho jaata hai… tab aap professional seeking lete ho. Par jab aap read kar rahe ho, jab aapke aas–paas logon ne ye phases dekhe hain, you know it’s normal.”

She added, “You feel what you’re feeling, you’re feeling depressed, feel it; you’re feeling anxiety, feel it; you’re feeling low, feel it. Because it’s human to feel all of that. Aapki life mein sab kuch wow toh hamesha hone wala nahi hai. Toh jab aise stages pe aisi feelings aati hain, you feel them. Aur naturally overcome karne ki koshish karo. You know? So you feel good about your entire journey, what you have gone through. Abhi bhi kabhi-kabhi mujhe anxiety ya thoda low feeling aata hai. I know that it’s there, aur mujhe reason bhi pata hota hai ki kyun ho raha hai. I will overcome that with time. So I normalise all of this in a very nice way.”

Karishma On Life Regrets

When asked if she has any regrets in life, Karishma said, “I think I deserve a little more in my career. And I’m not losing hope. Main bahut hi patiently wait kar rahi hoon for that transformation — that turning point. Having said that, mujhe Scoop mein woh ek mauka mila tha — ek platform mila jahan se woh jo main ek box mein hamesha rehti thi, ‘TV face, glamorous actor’ — us box se main ab bahar aa gayi hoon.“

She concluded, “Mujhe lagta hai ab woh jo glamorous personality waali Karishma Tanna ‘can’t do, can’t act in this kind of roles’ — that phase is gone. Ji. You know, I’ve become much more confident after that show, because people see me in a different light. That shift has come — from me being glamorous to being an actor-actor. That she can perform. ‘We can consider her. We should consider her.’ Woh switch aa gaya hai, and I’m very happy with it.”

Karishma’s Depression Battle

After the film Sanju, Karishma Tanna experienced a period of depression when she found herself without work for nearly a year, despite receiving praise for her small role. She had hoped that the success of the film would lead to more opportunities and help advance her career, but when this did not materialise, she felt disappointed and uncertain about her future. This eight-month to one-year and half phase of unemployment left her feeling dejected, with a sense that her life had become “colourless” and her career path unclear. To cope with this challenging time, she had to motivate herself to stay positive and eventually began taking on other work, such as Instagram advertisements, until more digital opportunities emerged.

Watch The Full Interview

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Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Karishma Tanna Calls Sanju Co-Star Ranbir Kapoor A Brat For THIS Reason; Reveals The Name Of Her Biggest Bollywood Crush

Akankshya Mukherjee

Akankshya Mukherjee is a dynamic and ambitious individual poised to make waves in the realm of Media and Communication. With a passion for creativity and a drive to contribute to forward-thinking organizations, Akankshya embodies adaptability and a hunger for learning. Having already garnered experience through involvement in various organizations, she has honed the skill of quickly adapting to new environments and challenges. She sees each opportunity as a chance for personal and professional growth, eagerly embracing roles in communications and content writing.