Shoaib Akhtar on Sushant Singh Rajput death: Not okay to blame Salman Khan

Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide on June 14. His death has opened up an age-old debate about nepotism, favouritism and bullying that many claim is intrinsic to the industry. Actors like Kangana Ranaut have lashed out at what she terms as the Bollywood movie mafia, while a considerable section of Sushant Singh Rajput's fans has taken to social media to openly blame the likes of Karan Johar and Salman Khan for pushing the 34-year-old actor to this fate.

In a vlog, titled Nepotism or Depression, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar also shared his views on Sushant Singh Rajput's death.

Akhtar starts off talking about the first time he met Sushant Singh Rajput in Mumbai. "It left me very disturbed. I felt very sad about the incident. One thing about it is bothering me. I met him (Sushant) in Olive in Mumbai when I was about to leave India in 2016. A boy was approaching with long hair and his hat askew. I did not feel a lot of confidence when somebody told me he would be portraying the role of MS Dhoni in a biopic. I thought I will have to watch his acting now. He has come from a humble background, and he is making a good film. The film did turn out to be successful. But one thing that bothered me was that I should have accosted him and shared my life experiences with him. This may have given him a broader spectrum in life. I regret not talking to him (sic)," he says.

Watch Shoaib Akhtar's vlog here:

Akhtar then goes on to add how suicide isn't the answer and rather than opting for the "easiest escape" one should talk about their problems. Citing the example of Deepika Padukone, who had opened up about her battle with depression, Akhtar said, "It is not good to opt for the easiest escape - to kill oneself. Setbacks are a part of life. When you are aware of your life’s problems, please share and discuss them with those close to you. Deepika Padukone had a problem, and she openly said that I have anxiety issues and I need help. Sushant also needed such help, and probably he was taking it also. But he should have shared his problems with his strong-minded friends (sic)."

Akhtar reiterates that everyone goes through their fair share of struggles - he too went through a down phase in his career, and even at the beginning, he had to make a mark amid stalwarts like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. But he continued fighting. Akhtar gave the example of Shah Rukh Khan, and how despite being an outsider he is a superstar today. "Shah Rukh Khan also didn't have a godfather. He came from Delhi and made it big in the industry (sic)," Akhtar added. He also spoke about Katrina Kaif and said that all these people have had to struggle but they've continued to fight on.

Akhtar also addressed the 'blame game' that is going on on social media. "Blaming Salman Khan for what happened is unfair, it's not okay."

He further added, "My heart goes out for Sushant Singh Rajput's family. But this is not the way to deal with things. When you fall you should try to come back stronger (sic)."

Akhtar ended the video saying, "Movies and cricket have always shared a close relation, hence I thought I should say something about Sushant Singh Rajput. Now you're gone, but I request others to talk about their issues and not resort to suicide (sic)."

Bandra Police has been investigating the matter of Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide and has recorded statements of 27 people so far. The late actor's family, on the other hand, has decided to turn their Patna home into a museum to house his memories. Sushant Singh Rajput's last rites were performed on June 15 in presence of his family members and a few friends. His ashes were immersed in the Ganga, in Patna.

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