Nargis Fakhri opens up about mental health break, says ‘felt the need to pause to balance mind and body’

Finding the perfect work-life balance is a concern shared by people across various professions. Bollywood celebrities are not too distant from this pervading concern. Actress Nargis Fakhri, who has starred in some of the biggest blockbuster films, has been absent from films for some time.

In an exclusive conversation with ETimes, the 42-year-old actress has revealed the reason behind her absence. The actress admitted that overwork and stress drove her to pack bags and leave for New York.

"Somewhere down the line, I realised that I was overworked and stressed. I missed my family and friends. I remember that 2016-2017 was a period of realisation for me. I felt that I wasn't doing things that made me happy. I did films back-to-back and thought there was just too much happening, and I needed to stop. I felt the need to pause to balance my mind and body. And that's when I took the step," Fakhri told ETimes.

Over the years, the actress starred in hits like ‘Rockstar’, ‘Madras Cafe’, ‘Main Tera Hero’, ‘Housefull 3’, and ‘Azhar’. Fakhri was last seen in the action-thriller ‘Torbaaz’ directed by Girish Malik. She appeared alongside Sanjay Dutt and Rahul Dev in the film.

The actress lives with her family in New York. In the candid conversation, she also opened up about the fear among actors of getting lost if they took a break for their mental and physical health.

“Once in a while, it is important for the sake of your mental and physical health to take a break. I know that in the industry, actors, their managers, and even PR agencies tell you that you have to be more visible and that if you take a break for too long, people tend to forget you,” she said.

On the work front, Fakhri will be next seen in the Telugu magnum opus ‘Hari Hara Veera Mallu’ opposite Pawan Kalyan.