# Anupama Parameswaran says narcissistic abuse left her close to quitting acting

Published 2026-10-15T11:06:08Z

> Anupama Parameswaran says narcissistic abuse put her in survival mode, hurt her work on Crazy Kalyanam and nearly made her quit acting, and that speaking out has helped people across South India recognise it.

Anupama Parameswaran has spoken openly about living through narcissistic abuse, and says it brought her close to walking away from acting.

In a recent interview, the actress said she stopped recognising herself. She did her makeup every day and looked at her face, yet felt she was never really seeing it. "Every day is survival mode," she said. She described going to bed each night afraid of what the next day would bring. Her verdict on that time was short: "Living life was exhausting."

Her work suffered too. Anupama said that if she could reshoot her upcoming Telugu family entertainer Crazy Kalyanam, or any film from that period, she would do "at least 50 per cent better." She does not blame herself for it. Quitting was a real option and she kept coming to set anyway, and she wants credit for that. "Sometimes showing up is all that matters," she said.

Oddly, she feels she was not scrutinised enough once her private life became public. Speaking out, she said, has taught people across South India that narcissistic abuse exists. She had never heard the term herself until she lived through it. A few days ago, during a shoot, a couple of girls hugged her and started crying. Men have also come to her with stories about themselves or people close to them. These meetings make her sad, but she said she is fine taking more scrutiny if it helps others.

Getting help took time. Anupama tried therapy twice before she found a therapist who worked for her.

## Related people
- [Anupama Parameswaran](https://clapnumber.com/celebrities/anupama-parameswaran)

---
Source: https://clapnumber.com/news/anupama-parameswaran-says-narcissistic-abuse-left-her-close-to-quitting-acting
Retrieved: 2026-10-15