Kuldeepak's Shardool Kunal Pandit quits TV industry, reveals he's battling with depression and facing severe financial crunch

Television actor Shardool Kunal Pandit, who has featured in TV shows like 'Bandini', 'Kitani Mohabbat Hai 2', 'Kuldeepak' and 'Siddhi Vinayak', has left the entertainment industry and packed his bags to return to his hometown, Indore. The actor shared that depression, financial crunch and lack of acting opportunities have left him with no option. (Photo: Instagram)

It was his love for the camera that made him return to acting after quitting it for a job in the UAE. Shardul told BT, "In 2012, I quit acting for a lucrative job offer in the UAE, but decided to return to Mumbai three years later, as I started missing the camera." (Photo: Instagram)

He added, "Once I came back, I bagged 'Kuldeepak' and also hosted a cricket show (Box Cricket League). However, the show shut down abruptly and my payment got stuck. I was also in talks for some projects, which didn’t materialise." (Photo: Instagram)

To make matters worse, the actor fell sick last year. He said, "In my case, it’s been an extended lockdown of eight months. I have been unwell for almost a year with three relapses of jaundice. I had to let go of the reality show, 'Mujhse Shaadi Karoge', because of that. I was offered a web series before the lockdown, but I have no clue what’s happening on that front. I was already facing a financial crunch, and my savings, too, dried up during these three months." (Photo: Instagram)

Poor health, a string of rejections and professional lull pushed Shardool into depression. He shares, "I slipped into depression following a string of rejections, failures, prolonged health woes and friends alienating me. I consulted a therapist in last November and surrounded myself with friends like Karan Patel and Ankita Bhargava, who stood by me." (Photo: Instagram)

Shardool revealed, "I also took to painting, meditation and writing. However, I am still not out of it; I am still seeking help and maybe, being home with my parents would help me fight it." (Photo: Instagram)

The actor added, "I don’t want to leave, but I have no option left. Whether I am working or not, I have to pay the rent and meet other expenses. Even if I bag a project tomorrow, the payment will start rolling only after three months as per the industry norm. The waiting period for a TV artiste is back-breaking, as your expenses don’t stop."(Photo: Instagram)

Talking about his possibility of returning to Mumbai at some point, Shardool shared, "I have left the city with a hope that someone somewhere has seen my work, knows that I am a decent and hard-working actor, and will call me back. That’s the only hope I have taken with me." (Photo: Instagram)