In the world of showbiz, with all the glamour, it’s easy to forget that behind those smiles, even the most celebrated stars can face struggles. One such case is of Nitin Ganatra, the actor best known for his exceptional portrayal of Masood Ahmed in EastEnders. His off-screen hasn’t always been at peace, and the star recently, in an interview, has opened up about his deeply personal battle with depression. Keep scrolling to know more!
Former EastEnders icon Nitin Ganatra has opened up about suffering from depression and how he has worked through it. The actor who played the role of Masood Ahmed on the show between 2007 and 2019 recently spoke about how the COVID-19 lockdown was tough on his mental health and admitted that depression hit him ‘like a slap in the face.’ He also opened up about how his childhood trauma of racism and bullying got triggered.
Ganatra also recalled that he resorted to painting as a coping mechanism during his younger days. While speaking to BBC Radio London, the soap star also mentioned how he went back to painting during lockdown when he was struggling. He said, “It was an outpouring of work, stories, paintings, feelings, and emotions. I would do a painting, finish it, put it in a box.”
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He then started posting the same on his social media, which slowly started getting traction. The Masood actor then started being the person he always dreamt to be and painting again made him fall in love with himself. He also shed light on potential returning to Walford, “I get asked this every day, but not as far as I know. I haven’t had that phone call yet. But – never say never. I’ll take my canvas with me.” For more such updates on EastEnders celebs, stay connected to Soap Opera Daily!