"Totally Bald": How Honey Singh Lost All His Hair During 7-Year Bipolar Disorder Battle

Honey Singh opened up about his struggle with bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and the long period of isolation he went through, recalling how his condition began during a demanding phase of work and how it later forced him to step away from public life for several years.

Speaking on the ABtalks podcast, the singer described the onset of his mental health issues while he was juggling professional commitments, including a music reality show and an international tour with Shah Rukh Khan.

"I was doing a music reality show in Mumbai and an America tour with Shah Rukh Khan. I was getting suspicious thoughts that I will die. I was in Chicago; somebody was with me, and she said, 'You have to go for rehearsal.' I said I can't go. Shah Rukh bhai called me and asked what happened. I said, 'I will be fine; I will see you on stage.'" 

He went on to explain how the fear intensified to the point where he tried to avoid performing, believing something would happen to him on stage. "I was feeling that I will die on stage, and I was thinking, how can I skip it? So I shaved half of my head, but they said, 'We will make you wear the cap.' I was like, 'People are not understanding.'" 

Honey Singh then spoke about how he reached out to his family but continued his schedule briefly before withdrawing completely from public life.

"Then I called my sister and told her that something was happening to me. She said I would still have to do the show. I left midway after singing two songs. After that, I stayed inside my house for seven years. I didn't want my fans to see me in that condition. I locked myself inside and didn't even meet my childhood friends. There was no communication, no phone calls, no TV, no internet. People used to think the devil was talking to me."

Describing the severity of his condition, the singer said he remained confined for long periods, even within his home.

"For three years, I didn't step out of my bedroom. Even while taking a shower, I used to keep the bathroom door open because I was scared I would die. Bipolar disorder takes you into destructive thoughts that are not real, but it makes you feel like they are actually happening."

He further revealed the extent to which his mental state had affected his perception of reality during that period.

"In 2018 and 2019, I believed that I was already dead. I used to sit there thinking I was dead already and stuck somewhere between heaven and hell. My mother would give me food, and I would think it was my last meal."

Talking about his recovery, Honey Singh said a change in medical treatment marked a turning point after years of limited progress.

"I was on the same medication for seven years and still wasn't getting cured. But when I finally decided to step out of my house, I also changed my doctor. He changed some medicines, introduced new ones, and adjusted the dosage of the main salt. I started recovering within four weeks. In just four weeks, I started meeting people and facing life again."

He also addressed the physical impact of long-term medication on his body and appearance.

"I was on heavy medication for seven years. I became 105 kilos because of it, and I lost my hair completely. This is fake hair; I am totally bald. This is a wig."

Reflecting on his recovery timeline, the rapper said the effects of substance use lingered long after he had stopped. "You won't believe it, but even after I stopped doing drugs in 2014, it still took me seven to eight years to recover." Looking back at the experience, Honey Singh described it as an intense and exhausting phase of his life, but one that he eventually overcame.

"I feel like I have just come out of a sauna where someone made me sit for a very long time. I came out burnt and exhausted, but I feel okay now. I thank God this happened to me in my early 30s because I was still able to make a comeback," said the singer.

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