The temporary warmth of fame

Having one's personal and professional life under the microscope can lead to an inability to rest

- Sonali Gupta

A 31-year-old male who's at the pinnacle of fame tells me: "I have always wanted and desired this popularity. Yet now when I have it all, I realise I don't want it. On some days, I want to go back to the life I had before I got famous. Don't get me wrong, fame meant money, more work but it also means that each move I make is being watched and I feel like I am constantly under scrutiny. I can no longer figure out who my true friends are and whether people are keeping in touch just because I am famous. I am constantly anxious and unhappy. I don't tell anyone this because people would feel that it's a privileged thing to say, now that I have it all, but the truth is I have never felt so lonely before."