I tried to commit suicide; My mother stopped me in front of a train and said...

Actress Manju Pillai opened up about a difficult chapter in her life, sharing that her mother’s support saved her from suicide. Speaking in an interview with a YouTube channel while promoting her latest film Sargam, Manju discussed the importance of resilience and the courage needed to face life's challenges.

"Only those with courage can truly succeed," Manju stated, reflecting on how her mother’s words became her guiding force in tough times. She credited her mother’s support as a turning point that helped her overcome feelings of hopelessness, allowing her to rise to where she is today.

The actress also shared an experience from filming in Varanasi. "One morning, around four, we left the shoot location. The sight was disturbing—people were moving burning corpses with sticks. It made me reflect on how fleeting human value can be in certain moments but since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office, there has been a visible effort toward cleanliness and preservation in the area," she noted.

Manju said that there were many moments in her life when she felt like giving up. "My mother’s intervention saved me. Only a mother can understand those feelings. I realized this even more when I became a mother myself. It becomes clear in the way you hear your own child’s voice and emotions."

Manju recounted when her mother stood with her near a stopped train, sensing her daughter’s despair. "She told me we could die together if that's what I wanted," Manju remembered. "She also told me that living is hard and dying is easy. It was then that I understood that it takes courage to live, to persevere—and that not everyone can do that. From that moment, I found the strength to change."