Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 22, 2020)

“I am going bananas. I am very bored. It’s not fun being locked up inside the house!” says actor Sunny Leone over the phone, currently in self-isolation inside her Mumbai house due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Keeping her company are her three munchkins — sons Noah and Asher, and daughter Nisha — along with husband Daniel Weber. To keep herself busy, she has been reading and painting. “I will share my artwork online soon. I am working on a big art project,” she shares. One can hear her children having fun, playing and screaming in the background. “Fortunately, they keep me busy. Home schooling is such a job. I never aspired to be a teacher, and now I am teaching them all the things they need to learn in school!” says the 38-year-old.

Leone had shared a picture of her family on Instagram this week, including the kids, wearing face masks, with a caption saying, “A new era! So sad that my kids have to now live like this, but it’s necessary.” The actor feels we must voice our concern and make a difference. “It’s okay for children to wear masks, it’s perfectly all right for parents to worry about their health, and take all precautions to make sure they are safe. I can’t keep my kids locked up inside all the time, but I can take them on a walk outside without coming in contact with people or strangers, or touching things. They are in their strollers, so they can get fresh air,” she says.

Talking about the effects of the pandemic on the social habits of people, apart from their well-being, she says it’s a bizarre situation for kids. “It’s a stressful time in our lives. It’s sad that our children have to go through this. They can’t play outside, go to school, meet others. We are desocialising ourselves, but it’s a safety measure,” says the actor.