Dharmendra's death: Why do celebrity deaths feel personal, hit us hard emotionally?

The death of veteran and celebrated actor Dharmendra has left many celebrities and commoners upset. From people calling it an end of era to fans mourning the actor's death very deeply, clearly we have lost a man who ruled many hearts.

Death of someone always has a poignant effect on the mind of individuals. Losing a dear one can turnaround lives of individuals in unprecedented ways. When Dharmendra's death was announced, many commoners shed tears and internalized the loss in ways they would as if they had lost someone very close to them.

Cinema and cricket have always brought together many Indians. We thrive on good cinema. Dharmendra too made his way into the hearts of so many people through his craft. It's interesting how we are able to associate with stars like Dharmendra over the course of some years.

Moneycontrol's team reached out to Dr Pavitra Shankar, Associate Consultant, Psychiatry, Aakash Healthcare, to understand how death of some known personalities affect us so much. "The kind of relationship that commoners like us share with some celebrities is parasocial relationship. Since we have been seeing their faces on our television screens, in our living room and bedroom, we tend to feel closely connected with celebrities. So, naturally, Dharmendra's death left people with a deep sense of loss, grief, and even vulnerability," she shared.