At the peak of my fame in India, I wasn't happy, says Lauren Gottlieb
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Dancer turned Bollywood actress Lauren Gottlieb had become a household name a few years ago. Then the artist suddenly disappeared from the Indian industry and moved back abroad.
She recently spoke to Maniesh Paul on his podcast on why she left. The dancer and the host shared a sneak peek into the podcast on their Instagram page.
Paul was heard asking why she left amid success. Lauren answered: "I had accomplished everything I wanted to. I had a ton of opportunities coming in. I had great money coming in. I was famous all of a sudden, all over India. If I didn't know people, they all knew me. Yet I wasn't happy."
She added that it was like the weirdest thing in the world because she instantly knew that she had to let it go. The dancer was seen tearing up and saying that the memories "still really chokes her up".
In the YouTube podcast, the actress further said she was taught as a child that she will be happy when she accomplishes certain things in life. Then, at the most successful time of her life, she questioned what she was feeling and realised it didn't make sense.
The American dancer said she realised she is looking at external factors like money and fame for happiness but she wasn't happy in her mind. "I was not taught that happiness is not outside but inside."
The 34-year-old said she started asking who she is without all these stuff. She added that letting it all go was the most difficult thing she has done because no one including her manager, agency, or friends understood her choice.
Gottlieb further said it is not unusual for famous people to experience unhappiness as their fame increases. "You see that a lot". But many do not take the steps to remove themselves from that situation and it leads to more problems. She added she did not want that to happen to her.
About taking such a big decision, she said: "I had so much faith in myself as a person and an artist that I knew I can come back when I am healthy again."
