As told to Riya Sharma (MID-DAY; April 26, 2020)

My last day of shoot was March 18, and I’ve been home since then. I’ve kept a tight schedule, so that I don’t feel like a lazy bum when the lockdown ends. I wake up at 6.30-7 am, read and then do yoga and meditation. Right now, I’m reading a book titled Why We Sleep. I finished reading Chariots Of The Gods? and Cosmic Consciousness. In the afternoon, I do my social media lives or any other planned activity. I’ve watched all Oscar-winning films from last two years, and am also watching a couple of shows. Every evening, I watch a movie and two-three episodes of a show. Though I have a cook, I’m cooking, and have launched a YouTube channel on the same.

Luckily, my brother is with me in Mumbai. He came to see me for a day before the lockdown and got stuck here. I’ve never been at home for this long — this is the longest break of my life. Even my summer vacations as a kid were hectic because my parents would enrol us in different courses and activities. I think staying at home for so long is a new thing and in a way, it is good because you start understanding that no matter what you plan, nature has its own ways. This is the time to self-introspect and connect with yourself. I’m giving a lot of time to personal development right now.

The biggest takeaway for me is that this Coronavirus pandemic is an equaliser. We plan so much, and we’re running around in general. But a crisis like this makes you realise that you are insignificant on the face of this planet, and what matters is your health, the people you love and the memories you make. Everything else takes a back seat — your drive and aggression for work, too, because you need to sit back, wait and pray that everyone you love and the world get better.