Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 24, 2020)

“Human beings needed to slow down. We had been living a life full of hustle,” says actor Sayani Gupta, who admits that she has always loved staying home. She shares, “I’m using this time to introspect about life. It’s a great time to workout, eat healthy, learn new recipes, engage in a dance routine and hone my painting skills.”

Gupta says that the Coronavirus lockdown has caused Mumbai to slow down for the first time. “The city never shuts down. Even after terror attacks, local trains never stopped. But now, it has come to a standstill. It’s like somebody has pressed the pause button on a remote. It’s Mother Earth’s way of telling us to take it easy, else we shall be in a deeper crisis,” she says.

She also points out that this is “a tough time for families” and relationships. “A lot of families are breaking up and divorce rates are rising. People aren’t used to spending so much time with each other. It must be excruciating for a family of eight to 12 members living in tiny rooms,” she says.

The Article 15 (2019) actor extended financial support to her house help and driver a while ago, amid the ongoing crisis. She says, “I’m extremely worried about homeless people and those who don’t have proper amenities and the privilege of social distancing. The labour class has been very badly hit. A huge financial crisis has hit the world.”

However, looking at the silver lining, she adds, “The sea looks way cleaner. We’ve cleaner air to breathe. One can hear the birds chirping. I believe this is the universe’s way of rebooting itself. All of us should work towards a more sustainable way of living.”