The death of Pratyusha Banerjee has saddened all hearts certainly, and this is not the first or the last time such a tragedy has taken place. Actor Ashish Kaul who is a mentor to many newcomers said, “From Jiah Khan to Nafisa Joseph to Parveen Babi, all these years actors have been giving their lives up as they are not able to cope with the pressures involved with the job. Many lose their lives under mysterious circumstances which are rarely revealed to the public. When young people come to Mumbai with dreams in their eyes, no one prepares them for the obstacles they are to face in this journey. They sign contracts and get into legal battles and then are not able to get out of the mess so created. I help them to clear up the mess and also guide them to be safe and practical.” Ashish who imparts his vast knowledge of being in the industry for more than 22 years now mentors popular actor Mahima Makwana, and had recently advised the girl to stay calm even when reports of her getting replaced from & TV’s Adhuri Kahaani Humari gained momentum. Yes, huge decisions are built on the small steps that we take in our daily life. And such mentoring or advice-seeking sessions can indeed motivate and rejuvenate a person to face sterner battles. Ashish Kaul’s student Ruchi Malviya who has been part of the movie Dharam Sankat Mein said, “I am indeed privileged to have him as my mentor in an industry where every second day is a challenge and even the biggest of actors give up. He guides me through all the hardships of this profession enabling me to deal with all the ups and downs that come complimentary to this job.” Ruchi has finished shooting for a Percept Pictures film which is due to release this August and is currently shooting for television serial 24. Actors do face a lot of unknown evils and exploitation during their struggle and acting career. And Ashish helps them in their legal battles as well. He says if you have strong grounds then you will not be exploited. Popular Mahima Makwana said, “I am fortunate to have known a person like Ashish Kaul in this industry where you need guidance at every step. He’s kind of a mentor who motivates and guides me to do things right.” Another of his student Kumar Manish said, “He has guided me all these months and has prepared me professionally to handle the industry and the evils altogether.” The word to be spread here is, ‘Stay Strong’... and look for a ‘solution’ before the problem catches you by your throat...