Behind every 'I'm fine', there's a story. 'How Are You, India?' series is here to tell it.

Disclaimer: The stories and experiences shared in this series are personal accounts of real individuals. They are not medical advice, clinical guidance, or therapeutic prescriptions. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional. You can also contact Tele MANAS at 1-800 891 4416.

"Fine." "Chal raha hai." "Sab theek."

We say some version of it a dozen times a day, to colleagues, relatives, the neighbour in the lift, and sometimes to ourselves. It's quick, it's polite, and it closes the conversation before it begins. It is also, more often than not, not the whole truth.

The truth is usually more complicated. It's the morning when getting out of bed takes more effort than the day ahead. It's the message you've read three times and still haven't answered.

It's the mother who hasn't slept properly in months, the colleague smiling through a meeting with a knot in his chest, the woman in a village who has never once been asked how she is.

And so, The Better India brings you How Are You, India?, a storytelling series about the daily, imperfect work of looking after our emotional well-being and the people we love.

This isn't a series of expert advice, and it isn't about triumphant comebacks. There are no neat before-and-after arcs here. Instead, you'll meet ordinary people doing small, steady things: making the phone call, setting the boundary, finally having the conversation. Some of it will look tiny from the outside. Often, it is anything but.

Here's a look at what you can expect.

You may be reading this because something has felt heavy lately, and you haven't quite found the words for it. Or because someone you love has gone quiet, and you don't know where to start. Or simply because you're tired of "fine" being the only answer you're allowed to give.

If so, this series is for you.

Conversations around mental health in the media often feel far removed from everyday Indian life. They tend to be clinical, urban, English-speaking or dramatic. But for most of us, emotional strain doesn't look dramatic. It looks like financial worry, a........

© The Better India