Tanmay Bhat: I have mentally checked out; feel paralysed

Tanmay Bhat

Towards the end of 2018, the Me Too movement took India by storm. And along with a number of known names across industries that were caught in this storm, was comedian and co-founder of All India Bakchod (AIB), Tanmay Bhat. Bhat was asked to disassociate from the comedy group, AIB, while the group itself faced a lot of flak on social media as one of its comedians Utsav Chakraborty's name had come up in alleged sexual harassment cases.

Now, in a series of Instagram videos, Tanmay Bhat has opened up about going through clinical depression and feeling 'paralysed' due to what happened. He wrote, "I'm a bit of a mess. I don't know when I'll stop being a bit of a mess. But when I'm less of a mess, I will owe it to everybody who has written in being supportive. Especially those who've seen this mess up close. You know who you are."

In one video, Tanmay says, "After everything that happened in October, I'm mentally checked out. I feel almost paralysed and unable to participate socially, online or even offline." He speaks about how for most of his adult life he worked at a company that he was trying to build. Letting go of it and the people he worked with took a toll on him.

The comedian shared that he has been diagnosed as being clinically depressed and doctors have advised him to do something about it. He further said, "A lot of you have been asking fair questions - why don't you move on, why don't you rebuild, but for some reason, I have just watched something that I have worked for the last part of my adult life come crashing down. I have just been staring at the rubble going 'what now?'"

Also read: Comedian Tanmay Bhat steps away from AIB amid sexual harassment allegations

Tanmay Bhat also thanked his friends and Instagram followers for their support. Many of his industry friends commented on his videos. Popular stand-up comedian Kenneth Sebastian said, "You have gone through so much and come out wiser and stronger, this will be no different," renowned comedian Kaneez Surka commented, "You are so loved jaan - you don't even realise how much," while musician Vishal Dadlani wrote, "No rush, no pressure, take all the time you need to figure it out, but know that there is a world of love for you out there, @tanmaybhat."

Names like Vikas Behl, Chetan Bhagat, prominent writers and journalists had come up with respect to harassment and other sexual crimes. Bollywood was divided with many A-listers not taking a stand, but at the same time, actresses such as Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut and Anushka Sharma had expressed their solidarities with the victims.

Also read: #MeToo allegations: Tanmay Bhat out of AIB, Gursimran Khamba sent on leave

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