‘Black Doves’ star Ambika Mod opens up about struggles with mental health - The News International
The Black Doves’ second season, which sees Helen Webb (portrayed by Keira Knightley) come back for the ultimate web of deceit as she juggles life as the Prime Minister's wife with her covert role as a spy, has introduced Ambika Mod’s Laila Joshi, a talented agent.
A rogue operative with a razor-sharp tongue, the character has quickly become a fan-favourite, and actress Mod spoke candidly about her character's laid-back attitude towards killing, saying, "She's quite chill about what she does, her vibe is that it's just a job. She could just as well be an accountant."
Ambika Mod is a 31-year-old English actress and comedian, best recognised for her appearances in The Stolen Girl, This Is Going to Hurt, and One Day.
At the outset of her career, she worked as a personal assistant at Condé Nast, while simultaneously performing comedy sketches.
Following a string of short film appearances, her big break arrived in the role of Shruti Acharya, a struggling junior doctor alongside her Black Doves co-star Ben Whishaw in This Is Going to Hurt.
Over the course of her career, she has amassed prestigious honours and accolades, securing a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list in 2024.
The Sunday Times also recognised her as one of the 25 most inspiring people aged 30 and under in the UK and Ireland.
She was also named one of Harper's Bazaar UK's 2024 Women of the Year and continues to be celebrated as a rising star in television.
In 2022, she spoke openly to The Times about pursuing therapy for depression and anxiety, along with dissociating and suppressing her emotions.
She revealed at the time, "I don't remember a lot of 2019 because I was cut off emotionally from everything.”
"When you cut yourself off from the pain and the hurt and the loneliness, you also cut yourself off from every positive feeling that you could experience. That sort of anhedonia - the lack of pleasure, no matter what you do - is something I experienced,” Mod added.
She also confessed she nearly turned down the role, revealing she was hesitant to even audition for the part of Emma telling Glamour at a different instance, "I always have imposter syndrome, always. Even when I'm not even doing anything remarkable.”
"I feel like I shouldn't be here, and everyone's looking at me and thinking I'm an imposter. I just thought it'd be a massive waste of everyone's time if I even entertained it,” Ambika Mod had confessed, detailing her mental health struggles.
