Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 11, 2020)

User engagement on social media platforms has witnessed a surge amid the Coronavirus lockdown, and actor Mallika Sherawat is no exception.

Spending a lot of her time online, the actor asserts to have observed a sea change among social media users. “I see a lot of positives on social media these days. People are not pulling each other down anymore. There are less haters. This crisis has made social media a kinder place and made us more compassionate. Social media can really be used to uplift people, if we really want to do that,” she says.

The actor, 43, also talks of striking a balance between online and personal space and insists that despite spending more time on social media, she isn’t overdoing it. “I feel responsible about what I post. I will engage with my fans on social media for a limited time but it does not define my life,” she says.

Sherawat also urges people to maintain a positive outlook amid the ongoing situation. “There is a lot of rumour mongering going on. You must not lose your commons sense and critical thinking at such times. That is how we can avoid a total panic situation,” she says.

She is making the most of this time by focusing on fitness. “I am doing yoga twice daily and have been polishing my pranayam techniques. I am also doing meditation. Besides that, of course I am spending a lot of time with my little nephew, who has turned three recently,” Sherawat shares.