Nishad Neelambaran (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 16, 2020)

“My lockdown started in February as I had injured my leg. This has been the longest I’ve been at home,” says actor Sai Tamhankar, who adds that the Coronavirus lockdown has helped her become emotionally independent. Though she says that her lockdown has been “bitter sweet and lazy”, she feels that there has been a lot of positives. “I realised that I am a very strong person. For example, now if I am stranded on an island, I am sure I will survive,” she laughs.

Tamhankar made her debut in the film industry in 2008, and has been a prominent figure in the Marathi film industry since then. Ask her how has this pandemic affected the regional industry, and she is quick to respond, “I don’t think it is just the Marathi industry. The entire film fraternity all over the world has slowed down because of the pandemic. I hope this situation improves soon because ours is not a medium where you can play by a rule book, it is a creative field.”

So, how does she think will the industry cope with the changes? “I think human beings are the most intelligent species and I am sure we can adapt in any situation,” she says. Tamhankar believes the “new normal” is going to very difficult for actors. “I am really not fond of this phrase — new normal. Everything is new, but nothing about it is normal. It would be difficult for actors but 2020 has been about survival of the fittest,” she concludes.