Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; April 27, 2020)

Actress Malavika Mohanan is worried about her 22-year-old younger brother, Aditya, who is a student in the UK and is stranded there because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The Beyond The Clouds actress told BT, “Aditya is an archaeology-history student, and he has been suffering from anxiety and stress due to the uncertainty.”

Malavika and Aditya are ace cinematographer K U Mohanan’s children. Talking about her brother’s current situation, Malavika said, “Aditya is living in rented quarters outside the campus. He has a tiny room with a single bed for himself. Since several students from other countries have left, he’s all alone. It’s taking a toll on him mentally as London has been hit badly.”

Malavika added, “It’s expensive there and at least, we are in a position to transfer money to him. What about the families who may not have enough resources? There is no provision for cooking in Aditya’s room and ordering food from restaurants is not safe. He has been surviving on canned food for over a month now. I am worried about his mental and physical health.”

The actress pointed out that lack of clarity is a big issue. “Will they be able to come back after May 3? We don’t know. Aditya has written multiple emails to the High Commission of India in London, but hasn’t received any response.”

Speaking from London, Aditya told us, “Many of us wanted to fly back, but it was difficult given the lockdown in India. I am sure that the Indian High Commission here is receiving thousands of calls every day, but they need to be receptive to the people in need. Right now, the only way to reach them is through Twitter. A few NGOs are helping the Indian nationals stuck here.”