Romesh Ranganathan, who is patron of the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm), said that he had times in his life when he was suicidal.
For those not in the know, the actor and comedian struggled badly after his father’s prison sentence, and when he did badly in his A-levels.
“I had times in my life when I was suicidal, and I came really close,” he told The Telegraph. “I thought about how I was going to do it.”
He also revealed how he ended up getting involved with Calm.
“The trigger for me was a guy I used to teach with, who went through a really tough time. We all rallied around him. I went for dinner with him (in 2019) and he was talking really positively about his future,” he said. “Two weeks later I heard he had taken his own life. Selfishly, you can’t help but think ‘What did I not do that I could have done?’ Then you start thinking ‘What could I do going forward?’”
Ranganathan is currently training for the TCS London Marathon, scheduled to take place on April 21. He will run as part of the Calm’s team which includes Natalie Clements, whose brother Aaron died by suicide, and Luke Remfry who had suicidal thoughts when he felt “lost” following the breakdown of a relationship.
The 46-year-old also opened up about his kids and the dangers of social media in their lives.
“People tell me I’m s— every day on social media. I’m immune to it, but (my children) are not. They see social media as all-encompassing, whereas I see it as a thing that I use,” he said. “If they have an issue at school, they don’t escape that when they come home. If you were having the p— taken out of you, home used to be a sanctuary. You’d get s— at school but your mum and dad wouldn’t know about it. You’d just have dinner and they’d ask why you’re not a doctor,” he jokes.
He further said, “My kids can’t escape it. We had to have an agreement that Leesa and I can look at everything on their phones. Saying to a kid ‘it doesn’t really matter, you’ll move on’ doesn’t mean anything. Their value is so tied up in how their mates perceive them. It is a hard thing to negotiate.”
Ranganathan said that his work also means his sons are exposed to some of the worst parts of the internet, in the form of the racist abuse he still endures.
“My kids know that I get racist stuff online. What you’re seeing is a version of road rage. People behave in a way they wouldn’t face to face.”
When asked if Britain still going the right way on race, he said, “Yes, I do. But it’s a tricky thing to handle because it has become publicly less acceptable to say those things, but it hasn’t become less acceptable to feel those things. And you can’t legislate for how somebody thinks.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.