Imagine watching a water bottle falling and your immediate thought is that your best friend would trip on it, hurt themselves or die in a freak incident. Or when your hands brush past someone you fancy, instead of feeling the thrill of attraction, you withdraw in horror — scared, panicked, teary-eyed. While these might not be the regular reactions of someone with a healthy brain, many amongst us, suffering from mental distress and anxiety battle this every day.

This World Mental Health Day, Sony Liv has dropped a new anthology series with six standalone stories on various mental distresses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.

What makes this show distinct from typical ones that touch upon real-life issues, is that it ditches cinematic dramatization and information overload for a realistic portrayal of how these issues affect the everyday lives of humans. The setup is relatable, and it feels that we’ve met these characters around us.

In these six different stories about mental health, we see a corporate employee fretting about calories, a teenage boy being bullied in his village, and a man cutting off his friends after an ugly breakup. While some of the stories start right from the distressing symptoms, others gradually ease into it.

Shivani Raghuvanshi suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder in Malika Kumar’s The Daily Puppet Show (Episode 6)

The show presses on the commonality of such issues and how easily we undermine the numbers. It makes a careful choice to pick up stories across the economic strata, from financially struggling families and middle-class abodes to the upper middle-class and well-to-do clans. Although the show doesn’t delve into the deeper details of disorders, with each episode spanning roughly half an hour, it gives a fair idea of what it’s like to live with a specific mental health disorder.

The story that I found the strongest was Sahaan Hattangadi’s Purple Duniya. The writing and the performances shine in this unpredictable tale. Two minutes into the episode, we see a purple rubber duck floating in an apartment, flooded with water, vibing to rave music. Okay, Hattangadi, you have my full attention.

We then meet our actual protagonist, Raag (Tanmay Dhanania), a 30-year-old who lost his job and was dumped by his fiancé a few months ago. Since then, he has isolated himself and doesn’t pick up the calls of his friends and family. Sounds dark? Well, here’s the twist: he is happy, energetic, and super chill. He sees the world around him in the colour of purple — traffic lights, nameplates, and even trucks — as he snakes through the roads on his bike at questionably high speeds and keeps zoning out.

Tanmay Dhanania’s Purple Duniya (Episode 2) is an interesting representation of mental health issues in modern times

Throughout the episode, I found myself googling, trying to decode the issue the episode was dealing with. The story kept me invested throughout and surprised me towards the end. I wish I could tell more, but anything that I say now would be a spoiler.

My next favourite was Sumeet Vyas’s Caged, helmed by Danny Mamik along with Hattangadi. Here we see the unlikely bond between Vyas, the city-returned son of the wealthiest man in the village, and a shy teenage boy played by Mohammad Samad Tumbbad. The latter gets bullied around and is heavily misunderstood and lonely. He wants to study literature, but his parents are forcing him to take up medicine as a career.

Mohammad Samad has given one of the finest performances in the show

Both these characters are wrapped in inhibitions of their own and find solace in each other’s company. The entire episode is poetic and well-written. Samad’s performance is one of the best in the entire series. His emotions, inner struggles, and suffocation resonate though the screen.

Next was Shreyas Talpade’s Swagatam, where he is suffering from schizophrenia. He no longer has a job, is supported by his wife, and lives in a constant paranoia of someone chasing him. His condition hasn’t advanced so much that he hallucinates, but he can’t be left unattended and spends the day with a help group during the day.

Sukriti Tyagi’s story gives a careful portrayal of schizophrenic patients, treating them as humans. The condition is portrayed through near visual trickery, too. All the scenes with Talpade have a dull yellowish tint to them. As soon as he exits the screen, everything is brightly lit and lively. Swagatam also excels in showing the struggles of families of schizophrenic patients, who suffer physical, emotional, social, and financial tolls. And while the story’s momentum keeps ebbing, Tyagi’s treatment of the subject is entertaining and informative.

Shweta Basu Prasad has done an impressive portrayal of a PTSD patient in Aditya Sarpotdar’s Bhanwar (Episode 3)

Shweta Basu Prasad and Priya Bapat’s performances were the highlights of the anthology. Both women, one from a village and the other from the city, dread intimacy. They cry, shiver and even go breathless at the touch of the opposite gender. They play women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and their portrayal is one of the best I’ve seen in recent films on the subject. I wish their episode — Bhanwar — knew more about what to do with these amazing artists.

Zindaginama has good intentions but isn’t able to keep up the momentum. While some stories will speak to you effortlessly, others will fail to keep you invested. The latter ones feel like an unfinished job, with a random slice of someone’s life being presented. Despite tackling important themes and lesser-known aspects of mental health issues tactfully, the show falters in execution. Films and television shows with social messages — especially such sensitive ones — need to walk a thin line, balancing facts and information with entertainment, so they don’t seem preachy. That’s how you keep people glued while raising awareness about a taboo subject. Because what’s the point of an informational show if an ignorant person gets bored and turns it off?

And it doesn’t help that the quality of tone of the six stories oscillate wildly with each episode. While I really want to recommend a few stories out of the anthology, the rest can be easily skipped. Nevertheless, Zindaginama is an earnest attempt at normalising mental health issues and humanising people who suffer from them, and it deserves appreciation for the same.

Overall Rating: 6/10

Episodic Rating:

Purple Duniya: 3.5/5

Caged: 3/5

Swagatam: 2.5/5

Bhanwar: 2.5/5

Puppet Show: 2/5

One Plus One: 2/5

As global regulatory measures shape the evolving crypto sector, digital assets are emerging as alternatives to traditional investment tools. Despite reaching a historic peak valuation of over $3 trillion (around Rs. 2,51,89,440 crore), crypto assets remain volatile, relatively new, and largely unregulated. A single uninformed decision or unexpected event in crypto investing can lead to significant financial losses and severe mental stress. This raises the important question: What can investors do to protect themselves from such situations?

World Mental Health Day, observed annually on October 10, was established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) to raise global awareness about the importance of mental well-being for everyone.

In this article, we will examine the financial pressures faced by Indian investors, particularly during bear markets and amid uncertainties in the crypto sector. We’ll also explore decision-making strategies that can help investors avoid financial stress in such challenging times.

State of Stress Among Crypto Investors

In 2023, a PwC report revealed that 74 percent of India’s population feels pressured while managing personal finances and living costs. Additionally, 63 percent of Indians reported actively reducing their spending on non-essential or luxury items as of last year.

The potential for overnight gains from market fluctuations often entices investors to engage with crypto assets. However, a lack of proper investment knowledge can lead to significant losses of hard-earned money.

Speaking to Gadgets360, Edul Patel, CEO of crypto investment platform Mudrex noted that unlike traditional investment platforms, the crypto trading market operates 24/7. This constant availability can leave investors feeling anxious, leading them to frequently check the status of their assets. Even minor market fluctuations can trigger immediate stress.

“Engaging with the crypto market can feel overwhelming, especially during periods of high volatility,” Patel said. “It’s easy to get caught up in the emotions of market swings, but what’s crucial is maintaining focus on long-term goals.”

In July, a hacking incident drained over $230 million (approximately Rs. 1,900 crore) from the wallet of India’s WazirX crypto exchange. In response, WazirX suspended trading and withdrawal services, causing distress among its user community. In the weeks following the attack, many users took to social media to express their anxiety about the situation, with some even threatening suicide due to fears of losing their investments. The situation escalated when WazirX advised individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts to contact the national emergency hotline.

User testimonies revealed a backlog of unpaid bills, as many individuals invested their savings into crypto trading in hopes of quick returns.

The incident provided a stark illustration of how financial setbacks can lead to significant mental distress, prompting some individuals to consider drastic and catastrophic decisions.

Guide for Investors

Crypto analysts consistently advise investors against relying solely on cryptocurrencies for their investments and savings. Instead, cryptocurrencies should be viewed as tools for diversifying investment portfolios.

“Diversifying investments can help mitigate risk, while disciplined strategies like HODLing can keep investors grounded through the turbulence. Staying informed and making decisions based on research rather than emotion will also help manage uncertainty,” Patel said.

Before experimenting with larger investments, investors should first grasp the market dynamics through smaller investments. Only after familiarizing themselves with the step-by-step workings of crypto platforms and market sentiments should they consider allocating larger amounts to relatively stable assets.

Experts from India’s crypto trading desks unanimously agree that market volatility is temporary; maintaining a long-term vision is key to achieving financial growth in crypto portfolios. There’s no need to rush into buying or selling assets in the 24-hour market—a practice that, if left unchecked, can lead to anxiety and stress.

Speaking to Gadgets360, Hashtag Web3 founder Vedang Vatsa said, “Given the high volatility of crypto markets, a fundamental principle to remember is to only invest what you can afford to lose.” As per Vatsa, who manages global social communities for Web3 professionals, this risk-calculated approach could play a crucial role in minimising financial stress for the investor community.

Investors should be mentally prepared for potential liquidations at some point, as the crypto market is susceptible to the effects of various factors, from geopolitical tensions to macroeconomic trends and political decisions. Each significant and minor change can impact the market.

“The underlying risks are so high that any level of leverage without a hedge is always going to result in financial losses. If one wants to make consistent money, they have to look at an implied volatility curve, and take longer positions, with minimal leverage,” Ganesh Mahidhar from the investment team at Further Ventures has conveyed to the new investors through Gadgets360.

Moreover, crypto investors are strongly encouraged to engage exclusively with select FIU-compliant platforms in India for their investments, as this practice provides better legal recourse. Implementing two-factor authentication and regularly updating passwords are essential steps for enhancing security. Additionally, using offline cold wallets instead of web-connected hot wallets can help protect against hacking attempts and potential losses.