Namit Das is a man on a mission these days. The Aarya actor has been going all out to support awareness about mental health concerns especially among men. Keeping in mind the fact that the issue has been a constant cause of concern since the onset of the Covid-19 era, Tongues on Fire Ltd and UK Asian Film Festival’s #TalkingTherapyMen campaign has organised Movember. An annual event, it takes place in November to raise awareness about men’s mental health issues.
Namit is supporting this initiative by lending his voice to the campaign so as to highlight the importance of addressing mental health issues and seeking professional help. Interestingly, the actor’s recent short film Samskara offers an insight into toxic masculinity and the conditioning that can lead to mental health issues. The actor says, “The pandemic has had an adverse impact on artists and freelancers. I’m relieved that a counselling service has been set up for South Asian artists based in the UK. A huge thanks to TOF & UKAFF for this brilliant initiative.”
‘Talking Therapy’ is a counselling service consisting of six free confidential over the phone therapy sessions with a trained and qualified counsellor. Callers are also provided information on next steps and support groups available to them. The service has been accessed by many, leading to a research and development reporting project and further discussions for UKAFF 2021.