The Dhadak actress talks about the lessons she has learnt during this phase and her biggest fears and insecurities
Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; May 2, 2020)

The lockdown has impacted all of us in many ways. How has it affected you and what changes do you see in yourself today?
The lockdown has made me realise that the human mind has an astonishing ability to adapt to or normalise any routine that you follow long enough. Before the lockdown, my life was hectic and that was normal for me. So, the first few days of the lockdown were tough, but then, this became normal. This phase has taught me patience and made me reevaluate my priorities. I am happier when I work, but I have managed to stay happy and positive through the lockdown. This phase has been a revelation to me because I always thought that I need to be on a film set to be happy. We visualise our future in our head, but when things don’t go according to our plans, we need to accept that there are bigger things at play. Happiness actually lies in little things.

Initially, people were worried about how we’d adjust to the long lockdown period. After the lockdown, do you think we will struggle to get back to our normal life as well?
At least for me, I’ll be rejuvenated post the lockdown. People like me, who have been lucky to stay at home and have the resources that we need to survive, should ideally approach life post lockdown with more vigour and passion. There’s so much pent-up energy in all of us that if we channel it in the right direction, it will give us a fresh perspective and momentum.

Your recent social media post on minimalism — how little we actually need in life and valuing the things we take for granted — was touching. What triggered that thought?
I enjoy writing. I hadn’t written for a long time, but once the lockdown started, I got back to it. I had no intention of posting what I had written. I shared it with a friend and he suggested that I post it. There was a period during the lockdown when I had become inactive on social media. With everything that’s happening around, I didn’t feel like saying anything except for sharing that note on Instagram.

What is your biggest fear or insecurity?
My biggest fear is losing someone I love. I also fear that people who I love might not know how much they mean to me. I feel the need to constantly reassure them that I love them, because I don’t think I did that for a while with the people that I should have. At this stage of my life and career, I want to learn. So, I get anxious when I am not on a film set. I am agitated when I am not working creatively.

The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown everyone’s timetable off the chart, including film releases. Your movie, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, was scheduled to release, too...
My film Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (a biopic on Gunjan Saxena, the first female Indian Air Force pilot in combat) was scheduled to release in April, and Roohi-Afza (horror comedy with Rajkummar Rao), late this summer. We were supposed to finish the shoot of Dostana 2 and release it this year and then, start shooting for Takht. But, right now, our main priority is to recover as a nation. You can’t worry about these things as there are bigger issues to deal with for all of us.