Smita Bansal Reacts To TV Actress Sanchita Ugale’s Tragic Death: “You Have To Be Thick-Skinned To Survive This Industry” | FPJ Exclusive

The entertainment industry was left shocked after actress Sanchita Ugale allegedly died by suicide on June 14 at the age of 22. The young actress was reportedly found hanging in her home in Nalasopara, sparking conversations around mental health, emotional struggles, and the pressures faced by actors in the entertainment world.

In an exclusive conversation with Free Press Journal, television actress Smita Bansal reacted to the heartbreaking incident and reflected on the emotional toll of working in the industry, urging young actors to seek help instead of suffering in silence.

On surviving the pressures of the entertainment industry, Smita said, “You have to be very thick-skinned to survive this industry. I won't blame the people around her. It is like saying that if those people around her knew, they should have stopped it. But it doesn’t happen like that. What has happened is very sad and it should not have happened. I feel that when I hear these kinds of things, I just feel that yes, our industry is very pressurising and you have to live up to certain things. You have to deal with a lot of things. So, just being thick-skinned also is not the only thing. I think that mental space is important. Whatever it is, ‘I will live’ - that should be the priority."

Smita further added, "I have seen some known people also end their life, and I just feel that they make life about very small things. Life is much bigger. Life is much larger. You know, when we came to the industry, you were also young. I was also young. So, we dealt with a lot. If something happened, it used to affect us a lot. But now, when we look back, does it matter? No. It does not matter. So, life is so much more. It is so beautiful. And there are so many things to look forward to. Ending life is the last thing that anyone should have on their mind. It’s one thing to do because of professional pressure, but for some guy? That’s unacceptable. Sometimes women feel that the man is their identity. So, that is not the case. We are our own identity. So, why give up your life for somebody else?"

Speaking about emotional dependence and the stigma around mental health support, Smita said, “They always say in that moment that one person has to be stopped. Now, that one moment of weakness is what you have to handle. I think in our industry, we should not shy away from seeking help. That taboo has to go.”