Kumail Nanjiani admits 'Eternals’ negative reviews affected his mental health

Kumail Nanjiani has recently elaborated on how the negative reviews to his 2021 Marvel movie, Eternals took a toll on his mental health.

“The reviews were really bad. I was too aware of it. I was reading every review. I was checking too much,” recalled Kumail while speaking on the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast.

The comedian continued, “This thing had become too much in my head. This was also right after the pandemic so we’re coming out after this crazy thing and I’m like okay this is going to be the coming out party. I worked hard for this.”

“It was really hard, and that was when I thought it was unfair to me and unfair to [my wife] Emily, and I can’t approach my work this way anymore,” said Kumail.

He went on to explain, “Someone has to change. So, I started counselling. I still talk to my therapist about that. I do have trauma from it.”

“I realised I can't be so results based in my work anymore because I can't really control it,” remarked the 45-year-old.

Kumail pointed out, “I can control my experience. I can control how I am to the people around me. I can control what I learn from it. I can control how I work.”

However, he added, “I can't control what people are gonna think of it.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Kumail addressed his anxiety, admitting that he does have it from the last few years.

“It was a few years ago actually where I realised that I had associated work with stress and nerves and anxiety,” he said.

Kumail added, “I started seeing a therapist and learned the ways to really let things go and I’ve realised that when I’m relaxed, I’m better at my job.”