Actor Khushbu Sundar, 55, recently marked 40 years in the Tamil film industry with a note of gratitude for everyone who supported her journey — and those who didn’t. Marking the milestone with an unusually candid reflection, Khushbu, who was honoured at SIIMA (South Indian International Movie Awards), said, “When you are honoured for being who you are, for your hard work, professionalism, dedication and the grit to keep walking no matter what, at this moment I just want to say to hell with modesty, I HAVE MADE IT. Thank you #SIIMA for making me feel so special with this honour. The journey has been incredible.”

“Jan 1st 1986, I faced the camera for my 1st South Indian film in Chennai, to today 2026, as I pen down this note, it feels surreal. Thank you to all my fans for accepting me wholeheartedly, and a big shout-out to those who didn’t and worked against me to derail my journey; I wouldn’t have made it without either of you. East or West, South is the best,” she continued.

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There is something psychologically powerful about being able to look back at people who once opposed you, and you no longer need to defeat them, said Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and relationship breakthrough coach.

As a psychotherapist, she reflected on how resilience is often misunderstood. “We romanticise struggle by saying rejection makes us stronger. It does not always. Rejection can damage confidence, create self-doubt and make people abandon things they deeply care about. Pain itself is not the teacher. What we eventually learn to do with that pain is. Early in our careers and lives, other people’s opinions can carry enormous power. Someone does not select us, and we wonder whether we are talented enough. A business fails, and we question our ability. Someone leaves a relationship, and we question our worth. A colleague progresses faster, and we wonder whether we have fallen behind. Slowly, an external event becomes an internal verdict,” Delnna described.

 

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The psychological shift happens when we learn to separate feedback from identity. “Criticism may contain something useful, and emotionally mature people remain willing to examine it. But not every rejection is evidence of inadequacy, and not every person who doubts us possesses an accurate measure of our potential,” Delnna told indianexpress.com.

Perhaps that is what makes a 40-year journey so meaningful. “Longevity gives us perspective that individual victories cannot. Eventually, the rejection that once felt enormous becomes one paragraph in a much larger story. We do not have to thank every person who hurt us or pretend opposition was necessary for our growth. But healing can bring us to a place where we can acknowledge what happened without continuing to live in reaction to it,” said Delnna.