These movies entertain while educating at the same time. They help destroy the stigmas surrounding mental health and create empathy, understanding, and awareness in the minds of people. Because these issues are discussed through cinema, Hindi Cinema encourages the audience to understand mental well-being in their lives. It sparks conversations that further lead to greater acceptance and support for those who need it in mental health matters.

Dear Zindagi (2016) – Overcoming Therapy Stigma

Dear Zindagi is a film that shows Alia Bhatt as Kaira, a young cinematographer with the problem of personal living, whereas Shah Rukh Khan plays the role of Dr. Jehangir, whom Kaira goes to meet. The movie highlights therapy as it is normal and healthy to deal with emotional issues; people do not have much to be ashamed of, and they are seeking professional help these days. Kaira’s journey from confusion and frustration to clarity and peacefulness about her relationship and career makes way for mental health care for the hindrances of life.

Taare Zameen Par (2007) – Dyslexia and Childhood Trauma

Taare Zameen Par has taken up the challenge to portray the character of an 8-year-old Ishaan with dyslexia. Ishaan is artistically gifted but, at the same time, can’t deliver academically. Played by Darsheel Safary, Ishaan’s “neglect” and his family’s distorted perception of him in school teach him that neglecting emotional aspects and mental care may lead to academic difficulties. The film highlights how learning disabilities and neglect or emotional deprivation will help children grow. The role played by Aamir Khan in teaching sensitively underlines sensitivity in the mental health care provision for children.

Chhichhore (2019) – Depression and Suicide

Chhichhore depicts the issue of depression and suicide among students who are under the lens of high-pressure academics. The movie is a cinematic tale about Anni, played by Sushant Singh Rajput, whose son attempts to commit suicide due to failing an entrance exam. The film reflects how societal pressure falters with mental health issues and how the emotional strength given by family and friends is needed to be able to move on from feelings of failure. It sends a message of resilience, the importance of mental health care, and self-acceptance.

Tamasha (2015) Identity Crisis and Mental Breakdown

This new film by Imtiaz Ali is based on the life of Ved, a young boy who faces an identity crisis and mental breakdown. Ved cannot pursue his passion for narrating because of the criticisms of society and family, and this suppresses his authentic self, which leads to a mental breakdown. The film spells out how identity struggles and the pressure to conform go hand in hand with mental illnesses and that one must embrace one’s true identity to stay mentally healthy.

Judgementall Hai Kya (2019) – Mental Disorders and Societal Perception

Judgementall Hai Kya brings through Bobby Kangana Ranaut, the kind of woman who has been hit by dissociative identity disorder (DID). The film outlines her thoughts through trauma, paranoia, and hallucinations. It portrays how complex a thing is that comes with such mental disorders, unveiling the societal notion of what is known as “normal.” Through this film, empathy is invited towards people who are having or have had mental health issues.

My Name is Khan (2010) – Autism and Social Exclusion

My Name is Khan is a movie that exposes how individuals with Asperger’s syndrome manage and interact socially with others and the challenges they face. Rizwan’s journey prevents social exclusion and symbolises resilience in hope. This movie will educate the audience about autism and enforce its presence with a call for patience, compassion, and awareness about mental health issues in society.

Black (2005) – Mental Health and Disability

The film Black is a deaf and blind woman’s story of Michelle, played by Rani Mukerji, and her fight with the problems developing in her mind due to her disability. Her teacher teaches Michelle to face the hurdles from her outer world first and then find solutions to the inner ones. The film is an example of infusing mental health issues with disability and, more importantly, how support and resilience result in individual change. The film conveys why mental health care is essential for those compounded with challenges.

 Summary

Hindi Cinema has made monumental strides with mental health issues through great cinematic storytelling and emotionally rich characters. Films like Dear Zindagi, Taare Zameen Par, and Chhichhore have tackled severe problems like the stigma associated with therapy, depression, and stress to perform well in academic fields, with a message of hope and moving forward. Others like Tamasha and Judgementall Hai Kya discuss identity crisis and dissociative disorder, mainstreaming the importance of “who they are” and how one comes to understand mental illness. My Name is Khan, and Black traces the struggles related to mental health attached to disability and autism, but that aspect only discusses the element of compassion and resilience.

Born on 10 October 1906, in Madras-then Chennai, to a Tamil-speaking Hindu family, R.K. Narayan was one of the most precious jewels India owned in literature. The particular story-telling diction Narayan moulded gave his imagination Malgudi, an imaginary town of which his novel and short-story characters come alive. The transformation of Narayan from being a curious lad who loved reading to becoming an internationally acclaimed author reflects a somewhat reclusive and unassuming writer who neither boasted of wanting to impress but told the truth of life simply and outright.

The Early Years: Nurtured by Family and Books

His grandmother mostly brought up Narayan, as his father was a headmaster and would shift often. She fondly called him Kunjappa. Through his early education by his grandmother, he learned the great subjects of Sanskrit, arithmetic, and mythology. Narayan began his adolescence with an enthusiasm for the art of narration, as he began reading the works of Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle and P.G. Wodehouse, which proved an inspiration in his later writing.

Narayan’s childhood also afforded him the wealth of Indian culture, language, and folk tales. His was an unconventional family in more ways than one – they spoke English to each other at home most of the time but were steeped in Indian tradition. So much of this cannot help but blend into his work: the modern and yet the traditional dance across his pages, with Western influences conversing easily with Indian reality.

A Writer’s Journey Begins

After a rainy day of classes at Maharaja College, Mysore, Narayan understood that he was not cut out to be a writer after high school. He could not pass the university entrance exam and spent a year at home reading and writing before joining Maharaja College, Mysore. It took Narayan only a short time to understand where his genuine interest lay – in telling stories. He was a schoolteacher for a brief period, which did not turn out to be a promising stint. However, this phase of his life led him to what would eventually become his legacy: he decided to become a writer. This job raised many eyebrows but sowed in him seeds that remain undefeated.

Narayan completed his first novel by 1930, Swami and Friends. Different publishers rejected his first novel several times; however, a British author, Graham Greene, realised his potential and tried to get his book published. Swami and Friends introduced readers to Malgudi, an imaginary South Indian town that became the backdrop of many of Narayan’s works. Malgudi was a microcosm of Indian society people, their everyday lives, struggles, and joys, making it relatable to readers all over the globe.

The Master of Simplicity

Narayan’s strength was in simplicity—his ability to tell stories about ordinary people facing life’s ordinary challenges. He did not speak of great epics or political commentaries. Instead, his stories dealt with the relatable, the human, and the ordinary. He could find extraordinary stories about human nature, relationships, and moral dilemmas in the ordinary. His characters were not heroes or villains but persons anyone might find in any small town involved in universal experiences of love, loss, and identity.

His novel, The Bachelor of Arts, dissected the adolescent mind growing into adulthood, while The Dark Room confronted the little-discussed issue in the Indian social matrix-disharmony at home. Narayan’s brilliance was his ability to present all this with the utmost subtlety and, with a dash of humour and irony, touched the hearts of readers from all walks of life.

Tragedy and Triumph

The death of Narayan’s wife, Rajam, in 1939 was quite a turning point in his life and work. Himself, he has been known to be deeply affected, and in fact, he channelled his grief into writing. The English Teacher, one of his notable works, is an autobiographical account of this period. It revealed the emotional depth of Narayan’s mind and spiritual reflection throughout.

The personal adversities could not dampen Narayan’s literary career. His subsequent two novels, The Financial Expert and Waiting for the Mahatma, brought further plaudits and placed him at par with India’s foremost novelists. In 1960, he was given the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel The Guide, an ongoing tale that sealed his position as one of the significant and most prominent literary figures in the field, entwining spirituality with love and humanity’s fragility.

The Legacy of Malgudi

He wrote extensively for over six decades; he has been translated into so many languages that, for all practical purposes, he became a global ambassador of Indian literature. His fictional creation, Malgudi, is a cultural reference point today as a testament to the timeless appeal of his work immortalised in the dear-to-heart TV series Malgudi Days.

Narayan passed away in 2001, but the stories he has woven over centuries live on. Narayan captured the essence of Indian life in simple yet profoundly meaningful narratives, ensuring that he will forever remain one of the great storytellers of India and the world.

  Play is a fundamental aspect of human development, particularly in childhood, serving not only as a source of enjoyment but also as a crucial process of learning and growth. From the earliest stages of life, play is the primary way children explore their environment, test boundaries, build social connections, and develop cognitive skills. Through imaginative scenarios, role-playing and games, children practise problem-solving, experiment with different identities, and learn to navigate social dynamics. The significance of play extends beyond the environment, it plays a vital role in emotional regulation, creativity, and the overall mental health of children

Play is not only integral to childhood development but is also a reflection of cultural, societal and evolutionary influences. As children play, they often mimic the behaviours and roles they observe in the adult world, practising the skills and knowledge needed for later life. Because of its wide-ranging benefits and universality, the study of play has become an essential topic in developmental psychology, education and therapeutic interventions. 

During the 19th century, German educator Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the kindergarten movement, emphasised the importance of play in early childhood education. Froebel saw the play as the “work” of children, where they could explore their creativity, imagination and social relationships. He introduced structured forms of play into the educational curriculum, believing it was central to cognitive development. 

In contemporary times, play is recognised as not only important for education but also for therapeutic purposes, particularly in child psychology. The development of play therapy has allowed mental health professionals to use play as a tool to address emotional and psychological issues in children who may not yet have the verbal skills to express their thoughts and feelings. 

This article explores the nuances of play, its various types, and how it is significant to understand these patterns of play. 

Types of Play

Play can take many forms, and its types often vary depending on the age, context, and developmental stage of the child. Broadly play can be categorised into several key types, while considering the types categorised according to age as well. Here we understand the several key types:

Physical Play

Physical play involves activities that develop motor skills, strength, and coordination. Running, jumping, climbing, and playing sports all fall under this category. Physical play is crucial for children’s physical development and can also help with emotional regulation by providing an outlet for energy and stress. It fosters teamwork and cooperation when done in group settings. 

Social Play

Social play involves interactions with others and is key to developing social skills such as cooperation, negotiation, and empathy. Games with rules, pretend play with others, and collaborative activities help children learn how to function in social contexts. This type of play is essential for developing communication skills, understanding social roles, and practising problem-solving in a setting. 

Constructive Play

Constructive play focuses on building or creating something, such as when children play with blocks, Legos, or craft materials. This type of play helps cognitive and fine motor skills, encouraging children to think critically, plan and work towards a goal. It also fosters creativity and perseverance, as children must often problem-solve to bring their ideas to life

Imaginative or Pretend Play

Imaginative play, also known as symbolic or pretend play, involves children using their imagination to create scenarios and act out roles. For example, children might pretend to be a doctor, teacher, or superhero. This type of play allows children to explore different perspectives, experiment with social roles, and process their emotions by externalising them in a safe, controlled environment.

Not just key categories are mostly used in the understanding of play and its patterns, here are a few age-based categorical types of play:

Solitary Play (0-2) 

In solitary play, children play alone, focusing on their activities without involving others. This type of play is common in infants as they learn to explore their environment independently.  A 1-year-old child stacking blocks by themselves or playing with a toy train, absorbed in their activity. 

Parallel Play (2-3)

In parallel play, children play alongside one another but do not directly interact. They may use similar toys or engage in the same activity, but each child is focused on their own play. This marks the beginning of social awareness, though the interaction is minimal. An example of this would be when two toddlers sitting next to each other are playing with separate building blocks but are not engaging with each other.

Associative Play (3-4)

In associative play, children begin to interact with others, though their play may need to be fully coordinated or structured around a common goal. They share toys and communicate with each other, but each child may still follow their narrative or activity. A group of preschool children playing in a sandbox, talking to one another and sharing tools, but each one is building their sand castle.

Cooperative Play (4+)

Cooperative play involves children working together towards a shared goal. It requires communication, negotiation, and the ability to understand and follow rules. This type of play is common in older preschoolers and early elementary school children. A group of 5-year-olds playing “house” with each child taking on a specific role (parent, baby, or pet) and interacting within the scenario, or playing board games with established rules. 

Imaginative Play (2-7)

Also called fantasy or pretend play involves children using their imagination to create scenarios and roles. This type of play allows children to experiment with social roles and behaviours, and it becomes more sophisticated as they grow older.

  A 4-year-old pretending to be a doctor, using a toy stethoscope to check on stuffed animals, or a group of 6-year-olds playing superheroes, each with unique powers and roles.

What is the significance of understanding Play?

Understanding plays and its patterns are significant to everyone, and not just limited to be learnt by educators, or developmental psychologists. As a normal human being, grasping the importance of play helps in recognising its role in shaping cognitive, emotional, social and physical development across life stages. Here are a few reasons why it does matter:

Insight

Play is a window into human development, particularly in childhood, where it is the primary means of learning. By understanding different types of play, one can observe how children develop social skills, problem-solving skills, and emotional resilience. Recognising these patterns allows adults to support and nurture development appropriately.

  For example, noticing that your child engages mostly in parallel play may indicate that they are in a normal developmental phase, learning to play alongside others before moving into more interactive forms of play like cooperative play. This prevents the premature concern over your child in understanding developmentally appropriate play.

Social and Emotional Skills

Play is essential for developing social and emotional skills like empathy, compassion, conflict resolution and many more. By observing play patterns, adults can better understand how children form relationships and handle emotions. Play often serves as a rehearsal for real-life social interactions, teaching children how to navigate friendships, and share and cooperate with others.

   For example, during imaginative play, children learn to take on different roles which can enhance their ability to understand other perspectives, fostering empathy. Recognising these subtle lessons helps adults appreciate the deep emotional growth throughout play. 

Creativity and Problem-solving 

Play, especially cooperative and imaginative play, is a critical driver of creativity. By observing how children play, adults can gain insight into how they think, approach problems and experiment with solutions. Understanding these patterns can encourage parents and educators to provide environments that stimulate further creativity and intellectual exploration.

  For example, helping children reach a goal through obstacle racing can help them come up with different solutions to different obstacles which helps drive their creativity and problem-solving skills.

Play is far more than a mere pastime for children. It influences all aspects of human development. From physical health to social skills, emotional regulation and cognitive growth, play serves as a multifaceted tool for learning and development. By understanding the various types of play and their age-related patterns adults can better support children’s developmental needs, providing them with opportunities to explore, imagine and solve problems in a nurturing environment.

  For adults, maintaining and understanding the significance of play encourages the fostering of creativity, resilience and mental health not just in childhood but throughout life. Recognising and supporting the role of play across all stages of life helps build stronger, more adaptable individuals and promotes a lifelong sense of curiosity, connection and well-being. 

Instrumental has been so revered that it can take a listener through a series of peace to transculture and language lines. Music with lyrics differs from instrumental compositions; the mind flows well without forceful imposition by some exterior narratives. This freedom makes it an excellent tool for mental wellness and emotional balance and helps reduce stress.

The Science Behind the Sound

General music was observed to arouse many parts of the brain, and that caused dopamine, or the “feeling good” neurotransmitter, to release. However, the same cannot be said of instrumental music because the mind is focused, and the nervous system is calmed. It has been discovered that if one listens to gentle instrumental music, their cortisol level decreases, which would drastically reduce stress and anxiety. This physiological response can be instrumental in managing mental disorders such as depression, PTSD, and generalised anxiety disorder.

Mindfulness and Instrumental Music

One of the main psychological effects of instrumental music is to trigger mindfulness, a mental state that is attained by focusing one’s attention on the present moment. Owing to a lack of words, the listener can immerse themselves in the sounds at any level and create a meditative experience that enhances relaxation and clarity of the mind. Mindfulness through music triggers deep breathing, lowers heart rates and stress and provides a sense of grounding, enabling people to better cope with overwhelming emotions.

It has become a safe and non-intrusive form for people who are experiencing mental health problems to exercise their mindfulness. Whether ethereal piano or rhythmic guitar strumming, each instrument creates a sonic view that gives the listener a sense of tranquillity.

Emotional Control and Expression

Instrumental music has also served as an emotional expression that helps channel and regulate emotions without interference through verbal communication. It would elicit different feelings; sometimes it would be sad, while other times it would make one feel exuberant; hence, listeners can process their feelings very safely. Therefore, instrumental music is often applied in therapeutic settings to create a relaxing environment; in this regard, it becomes part of music therapy.

Music therapists have realised that sometimes it is easier for people to show emotions through instrumental music when they do not have words about them. It is one of the methods for traumatised, grief-stricken, and depressed people to show their feelings outside of words.

Cognitive benefits

Instrumental music also provides cognitive benefits apart from emotional well-being. Research indicates it can help improve concentration, remember things more effectively, and be creative. Of course, after that, there is the “Mozart effect,” a term coined to describe the temporary improvement of cognitive abilities following listening to classical compositions.

This will make it a great facilitator upon which one will remain focused as it provokes novel ideas. It is the least distracting kind of music one would listen to because it can be played as background music, for which the mind will strain to focus while attending to the task.

 Cultural Universality

The beauty of instrumental music finds universal application in the cultural sphere. Since lyrics depend on specific languages, instrumental music will transcend such linguistic boundaries and appeal to people from various cultures across the globe. Whether it is the soothing raga renditions of Indian classical, the jungle beats through African drums or the intricate harmony characteristic of Western classical compositions; instrumental music speaks to the human spirit irrespective of geographical and linguistic boundaries.

This universality makes instrumental music a worthwhile instrument during multicultural therapy sessions since clients of different backgrounds can find solace in the nondenominational experience of the shared sound source.

Instrumental Music as Healing Praxis

Instrumental music is a straightforward yet significant practice for mental health. One of the self-care practices is to create playlists that align with one’s mood or emotions. Instrumental compositions’ healing aspects significantly boost mental well-being if used as background music while working or relaxing.

The high demand for instrumental music in holistic wellness practices such as yoga, mindfulness meditation, and sound healing reveals its healing application. Instruments like Tibetan singing bowls, flutes, and harps create these ‘spaces’ for ultimate relaxation and mental rejuvenation.

Conclusion

Instrumental music contains inherent power to care for the mind, subdue emotional turbulence, and enhance cognitive powers. There is an assortment of qualities within it, from calming nerves and stimulating the expression of emotions to sharpening focus and stress reduction, which is one of the primary means of taking care of the mind. With the calm sounds of instrumental music, people can see themselves better and find moments of peace in otherwise demanding lives.

Has it ever happened that you did your best but still couldn’t get the highest score in an essay competition? But at the same time, you just thought for two minutes and ended up creating an art piece or caught a note of the tune that just made everyone stop and stare with awe. Has it ever happened to you that numbers seemed so simple but words were just too confusing? Or was it the other way around for you? Has it ever happened that dancing and running around seemed easier than staying still and listening to a story or drawing a portrait? Then you are not wrong, you are just different.

What does it mean to be different?

If you ever felt like Nobita or Kiteretsu or basically a duck in a pond filled with swans then you know exactly what it feels like to be different. The feeling of always wearing a big red dress or hat in a crowd of black and white, that’s the feeling of being different. “The elephant in the room” is the idiom that refers to a significant issue that is obvious but everyone avoids acknowledging or discussing it. You know you are feeling different when you feel like the elephant in the room. You feel you are either Gulliver in a land of lilliputs or a lilliput in Gulliver’s world. Whatever it may be, one thing is sure for almost everyone who feels different, it doesn’t feel good.

What can you do about being different?

The simple answer to that question is nothing. You heard it right, there’s really nothing you can do about it. In fact, the real question is why should you do anything about it? Sure, you can try changing a bit of this and that and jazz a bit while toning down a bit of that and, voila! You turned a unicorn into a horse or a Rhinoceros into a Hippopotamus, but the question is for how long? A Rhino is bound to miss taking mud baths and a unicorn is bound to miss breathing in the fresh air from the sky while flying. You can change yourself a bit or even more than that but then the question is for how long? There will come a time when you will hate yourself even more as you won’t be able to recognise what you have become any more. You may put down your paintbrush, or your abacus set, or your dancing shoes, or your writing pen, but will you be happy doing that? Rather the better question is to ask yourself who you are doing this for. For people around who you need to be a certain way to feel accepted? Sure you can jump around the lava and walk on the rock just to be closer to people you like, but for how long will you be jumping? What if you are meant to walk on the flames and shine like the Human Torch of Marvel?

That’s why it’s time to rethink and look at the following tips to help you get started and appreciate all the things that make you different.

• Take a long deep gaze at yourself in the mirror:

Stare at yourself for 5-10 minutes in the mirror. Identify the things you hate about your face or body such as you have dark circles, or tiny lips, etc and take a picture. Now take sketch pens or makeup products and try to outline and draw on your face all the insecurities you think you have. Do you think you have dark circles? Draw them as dark as panda eyes! Do you think you have acne? Draw as many as you think you’ve got. And once you’re done take a look at yourself in the mirror and compare what you’re seeing in the mirror to the picture that you have previously taken. See any difference? If you did now you know how distorted your thinking truly was.

• Not everything different is bad:

Ever heard of the saying, not everything that glitters is gold? Exactly! Just like that, not everything that looks different is wrong or bad. Do you know who else was different from the crowd just like you? Ironman. But is he bad or wrong? And what about Einstein? Is he bad or wrong? Or how about Marie Curie? Or Charlotte Brontë? Or Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain? Were they wrong or bad too? The reason people are not ready to accept or are comfortable around something different is that they are not used to it. That doesn’t make you bad or wrong. It just means people need a little more time to understand you. So, give them that. After all: 

• Let them into your world:

How do you expect people to understand or know you, if you don’t let them in like Elsa? We all remember how it turned out for Elsa when she decided to hide away in the castle. And didn’t tell anyone about what happened to her. It was only when she finally let others see her for who she truly was, that was she able to understand and accept herself better. Start small by maybe showing them how to do a dance step or two or how to draw an animal or anything that you think makes you different or weird, share it with them. And who knows, maybe you’ll be the coolest one in the school. It’s scary but you won’t find out until you give it a try.

• Let it out:

No matter how much I tell you or somebody else tells you or you yourself remind yourself how much you matter or are amazing, there will be days when you just can’t get up. And it’s okay, sometimes the ground is our friend and tears our lemonade with a salty punch. So, let it out and cry your heart out. Scream, shout but just let it out. Don’t hold it in just because you are different and are not supposed to make ripples. Create a storm if you want but then remember every storm must come to an end and so does your sorrow. 

Afterword

We know the struggle to be an alpaca in a world adored by Llamas is hard but just like we are hanging on, we know you can too. Be a paca, read Knowpaca and be proud of your difference rather than hiding it.