Prior to Dear Zindagi , mental health in Indian cinema was often a caricature. It was either the realm of the insane asylum (a la Bhool Bhulaiyaa ) or a tragedy leading to suicide ( Sanju ). Therapy was portrayed as a last resort for the "crazy."
You don't always have to take the hardest road to prove your worth. Dear Zindagi
Research papers published on platforms like ResearchGate examine the therapeutic sessions between Kaira (Alia Bhatt) and Dr. Jehangir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan). They focus on themes like learning to trust, the importance of forgiveness, and the role of "catharsis"—releasing suppressed emotions to find healing. Prior to Dear Zindagi , mental health in