Tusshar Kapoor: “I’ve no time to rest. I am home-schooling my son Laksshya. He is almost 4 and he has homework from e-schooling daily. As for me, in a profession like ours a lot of work is done online, so that takes up the rest of the time every day.”
Sudhir Mishra (who has just lost his father): “I was in isolation with my aging parents. They both 90 years old. I realized catching the virus would be death for them. The thought of them being harmed kept me firmly indoors.”
Ram Gopal Varma: “I am in Hyderabad. This is the first time I am spending my time without a schedule. It is a scary thought to get up in the morning and not know what to do for the day. There are only so many films that you can see and so many books that you can read and so much of the news that you can watch. After a while you want to get back to work.”
Taapsee Pannu: “Actually the restlessness has not crept into my life as yet. I am taking it one day at a time and keeping myself occupied with household chores, cooking, talking to family and friends and learning new skills. I am not into binge-watching serials or reading books.”
Jitendra Kumar (web star and recently seen as Ayushmann Khurrana’s gay partner in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan): “I am keeping myself busy with yoga and cooking. But how much of that can one do? Though I’ve never been much of a social animal the isolation has begun to get to me. There is just so much that you can take of your own company. Even the cooking is no more enjoyable when you have to grind all the masala yourself, cut all the vegetables, knead the dough , cook and eat by yourself and then wash the vessels too. I have a new-found respect for those who do the work before and after the cooking.”
Anupam Kher: “I am keeping calm although I’ve never been without kaam (work) during the past 40 years. I am keeping myself from getting restless by reading the Bhagvat Gita.”
Shabana Azmi: “I am alternating between watching dreadful news and reading beautiful poetry, while my husband (poet-writer Javed Akhtar) is glued to the screen watching news and serials 24 hours. He is deeply disturbed by what is happening. As for me, the road accident which almost took my life in January taught me to be more tolerant about adversity. I was told by the doctors that I escaped by a miracle because the bleeding stopped one millimetre away from my skull.”
Manisha Koirala: “It is not difficult for me to be home-bound. During my cancer treatment I was home bound so this is another time to remind ourselves how fragile and vulnerable we all are. I am taking baby steps each day.. doing the right thing now and not counting days .We as a race are prisoners of our own mind.It dictates us. Habits dictates us. Now is the time to look at life differently.. New ways, a new normal.. I’ m enjoying spending time with my parents…cooking, gardening, cleaning, reading, being on the social media ,Skype chats etc.. Dhyan and pranayama,walks and work-outs with TRX and lightweights and of course Netflix. I was always a home bird so I had no difficulty staying home. Only concern was and is how to keep my parents, myself and my adorable staff healthy and happy at home.”
Adnan Sami: “Week 2 of the lockdown getting to me? Are you kidding?! I’ve been through two failed marriages and the ensuing divorce proceedings. This is nothing in comparison.”
Saif Ali Khan: “We should overcome this soon. I am getting a bit fed up.”
Sidharth Shukla: “Enough sleep enough movies. Now what? A certain amount of anxiety has set in.”