Jiah Khan

It appears that this beautiful, 25 year old Indian actress, who had it all, committed suicide. I say, “appears” because it is early days. She died at her home in Mumbai, the bustling capital of the burgeoning Indian film industry.

When someone who is blessed with talent and an attractive appearance decides to end her life, the natural instinct of people is to ask, why? There have been other similar stories. Here is what PoC’s reporter in Mumbai, Rudolph Furtado writes:

It’s bizarre, strange and true which psychologists in Mumbai would find difficult to reason. Three of India’s most famous women model/actors who were also avid cat owners committed suicide over the last few years, all of them in the prime of their youth.

The reasons being failed love affairs as claimed by the media. Why didn’t these suicidal young ladies find solace in their pets or animal welfare activities? The latest to commit suicide in Mumbai was 25 year old actress Jiah (Nafisa). Khan who is an Indian of British origin having been raised in New York and London.

She was the owner of some stray cats and an avid animal activist. I personally feel that besides owning or caring for pets every human requires a strong human bonding with another human or a group of fellow humans to ward off depression. I must have opened a Pandora’s box of debate.

Yes, you have opened up a good subject for debate. Jiah Khan had two causes: animals and children. She was an ambassador for PETA.

She writes about animals:

Like humans, animals are capable of suffering and have interests in leading their own lives; therefore, they are not ours to use – for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation or any other reason..

Jiah was deeply concerned about the vulnerable creatures on the planet. She must have been a very gentle and decent person.

It would seem that to her the conventional idea of success – receiving adulation as a film star and making lots of money – was not a measure of true success or fulfillment.

What appears to have mattered to her were the more real aspects of life and when you think of those you often bump into injustice and abuse of the vulnerable. It is in your face when you start to think.

Jiah appears to have been known for liking cats and cared for stray cats. If one likes and cares for animals, the stray cat is a good outlet for one’s passions because there are lots of needy stray cats.

The wise people say the good die young. William Wordsworth’s writes:

The good die first,
And they whose hearts are dry as summer dust burn
Burn to the socket.

Why do the good die first? Because they are kind. To be kind you have to be sensitive and alert. Such a mentality makes like more difficult. Is that it?

Jiah Khan — 20.2.1988 – 2.6.2013