Mumbai: Actor-writer Piyush Mishra recently opened up about his long and turbulent battle with alcoholism, revealing how it significantly affected both his personal and professional life.
In a candid conversation on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Mishra described addiction as a “deadly disease” that often goes unnoticed, even by those struggling with it.
“At one point, you start feeling that drinking alcohol is necessary. Its effect is such that a person wants to drink more. Alcoholism is a deadly disease, and even an alcoholic doesn’t realise that they are one. Even medical science has no cure for alcoholism. There comes a time when, whether you want to or not, you need alcohol, your body craves it. I have felt this myself,” Piyush said.
However, he clarified that he never went to a set in an inebriated state.
“I have never acted after drinking, nor have I ever gone to a set drunk. It did affect my life — I had an alcoholic mind. While singing ‘Husna’, I had an alcoholic mind; while working on Gulaal, I had an alcoholic mind — but I did not consume alcohol at that time. I used to drink because of physical craving, and you cannot suppress that craving.”
He recalled how alcohol altered his behaviour and forced him to do things which he later could not reconcile with.
“After drinking, I did many things that later made me feel, ‘This is not me.’ I had issues with my mother, and I said many hurtful things to her while drunk… even after I had realised I should forgive her.”
He admitted to making inappropriate calls while intoxicated. “I made many inappropriate and obscene phone calls to women, and the next morning I wouldn’t even remember them… At that time, I was not in control of myself. I was doing things I didn’t want to do.”
Acknowledging that his behaviour began affecting his professional relationships, he shared, “Professionally, people were scared of me because I would behave in such ways. It started affecting my work. People began saying that I am very difficult to work with… I get tired of explaining that I am not that person anymore; I have largely gotten myself under control.”
Things changed in 2009 when he had a brain stroke that affected the right side of his body. This made him take his addiction more seriously.
“I have not completely quit alcohol — I still drink occasionally, but not regularly. The craving reduced through spiritual means… After that, I practised Vipassana and controlled my cravings. But I am still an alcoholic — alcoholism never goes away. You can take a daily reprieve… but you can’t get rid of it,” he shared.
“I had become an anti-social person. My work saved me. Otherwise, the things I have done… people would have killed me.”
He is not fully recovered, saying that he is managing his condition.
