I've Never Been (Un)Happier - Shaheen Bhatt (Book)

I've Never Been (Un)Happier - Shaheen Bhatt.

I can never forget that conversation I had with one of my best buddies last year, when he told me that his elder brother who was our savior back in the college days, committed suicide just like that. He told me his brother called in the dead of the night and precisely said "Bhai, I am going" and disconnected the call. The very next day as the family returned back to house they found him hanging with the ceiling fan, later they realized that he was depressed for quite a few months but as it happens in our part of the world "Depression" is still not considered a disease and the person going through it should consult a professional and seek help. This was a regular person like you and me going through the rut of daily middle class life. I can also not forget the day it flashed all over the news about Jia Khan's suicide, a successful movie career cut short by a drastic step, reason? same, depression due to fall out with a so called boy friend. I really wondered why super successful and rich people too committed suicide, there are so many examples (no point quoting names) that we all know of so very well. So, when a book like that came out in the market written by a celebrity kid (Mahesh Bhatt's Daughter and Alia Bhatt's Sister) I had to grab it to know what it was all about. On top of that the book is being sold at INR 15/- Only (Kindle Version) as we speak. I have been a fan of her half sister Pooja Bhatt all my life but unfortunately I had no idea of her existence till this book actually came out. That is precisely what she claims is one of the main reason behind her Depression and the unsuccessful suicide attempt she had a while ago.

I initially thought it will be a quick read as the book was hardly 70 odd pages but it took me almost three days to go through her life story, plight and brave attempt to bounce back in life. I just couldn't fathom exactly like she claims she too thought the same that after being born in an illustrious family with loads of fame and money, things could actually go wrong for her. Hardly 29 years of age today, she is been in depression for 15+ years, still going through it but has come out of majority of her issues as she claims in the book. It is not a story that she narrates but just the tidbits of a celebrity kids life from her own family. I was shocked to see that up-to the half mark there was no mention of her own parents, family, siblings, cousins and friends, she was a total loner as if left to fend on her own. Her own set of struggle that is born with a famous last name and expectations from it all. She isn't half as beautiful as her other siblings and she has no talent whatsoever in her to be the part of the world she belongs to by birth. Outcome? Depression. I loved the way she calls a spade a spade in her story and totally blunt about it all as it happens with her, no shying away from the problem or sharing her very personal thoughts with the world. Bravo to the girl as I am sure this book will give strength to so many out there who struggle with the same problem day in day out. The best part of the book is her interaction with her father (Mahesh Bhatt) and his clarity of thoughts. He is anyways famous in good and bad both ways to speak his heart out but the way he talks to his daughter who he knows is going through a rough patch and gives her so much hope, is totally amazing. Also the way she quotes Syliva Plath's words is simply so apt. Those words are definitely worth quoting, although I am too bad in quoting but that is one reason I will say everyone has to read this gem of a book.

There are so many celebrity books out there in the market in today's time that I have been meaning to read but I kept away from them. I am super glad that I picked up this one which is one of the best meaningful book that I have read in a long time. It is much much better than those futile attempts or ghost written books by other celebrity kids making up to bestseller stands. I am doubly sure that neither this book will make a big name of itself nor will be talked about much but it has to be read and recommended big time.

Have you read "I've Never Been (Un)Happier"? or do you plan to read a non-fiction like that?