Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 31, 2020)

With the country on a three-week lockdown to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, all our Bollywood stars have quarantined themselves.

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana and his filmmaker-writer wife Tahira are taking extra precautions during this tough phase. Tahira tells BT, “After you’ve recovered from something like cancer, or when you’re at an advancing age, you have to be extra cautious.”

She continues, “Who had thought that the situation would escalate so much! The little positive I see in all of this is that people are valuing their life and time with loved ones so much more. They also understand the necessity of boosting immunity.”

Talking about the measures the family of four — the couple and their children Virajveer and Varushka — has taken during the lockdown, Tahira shares, “Except for the permanent staff at home, everyone was sent on leave almost two weeks ago. My kids have not stepped out of the house. Even if Ayushmann and I step out in the colony for a walk, we make sure that when we return home, we leave our shoes outside and take a shower before touching anything in the house. Every two days, we thoroughly sanitise the doorknobs and other frequently used parts of the house. We’ve also kept a bottle or two of sanitisers outside the front door, for the staff of the society. Take precaution is all we can do.”

Tahira and Ayushmann have been using their time indoors, painting, writing and indulging in their hobbies. However, children, who are accustomed to an active, outdoor life, tend to get bored and restless at home. Bring this up and she says, “This is family time that we had missed for almost a year. Of course, we didn’t want to have it this way, but now that we have it, we’re trying to make the most of it. Every night after dinner, we all sit down together to paint something. I used to paint when I was a kid and I’ve gone back to doing it. At times, Ayushmann and Viraj become DJs and play all kinds of songs to entertain us.”

Also, though the schools are closed, Virajveer and Varushka continue to follow their daily schedule. Tahira elaborates, “Children take time to adjust to a routine, so the idea is to try and not break that, even in these times. My kids follow a schedule for their food, studies, sleep and playtime; of course, there is no outdoor activity. During the first two-three days, we were clueless about what to do because this is unprecedented. But the best part about human beings is their ability to adapt. So, we now have this routine. Ayushmann and I help them with their studies, like brushing up on their maths and other subjects. We’re even trying to teach them newer things. By the time these kids go back to school, they would all have become geniuses with parents spending time with them (laughs!), which they should do anyway. Ayushmann has been giving piano lessons to Viraj. I am continuing my writing, and watching my kids.”

“Ayushmann always says that we should not let things dip. It’s not the best times for us, but we have to tell ourselves that this, too, shall pass,” she signs off.