Nishad Neelambaran (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 29, 2020)

“Lockdown has been a mix of all sorts of emotions. There is lot of uncertainty and pathos around. Fear for our loved ones catching Coronavirus is there, too. At the same time, we have got time to spend with ourselves and our loved ones,” says Anupria Goenka. The actor, who played the role of Queen Nagmati in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat (2018), says that a lot of “self-reflection and introspection has happened more than anything else” in the last four months.

Goenka believes that the new normal will definitely be different “as we will have to get used to maintaining codes”. “Everyone will need to be self-reliant and much more cooperative. We need to find a way to work with it as a team, and try and finish the project at hand with utmost proficiency while taking care of all the safety measures,” she opines.

Does she think actors will be a little skeptical to do scenes that demand them to be physically close to their co-stars? “Personally, I’m very okay shooting at this point in time. I think that life needs to go on. We all need to figure ways and deal with the current circumstances and get back to working while honouring the guidelines and taking utmost precautions. About physical proximity, I think we will avoid it as much as possible, but then, we can’t over think or be petrified while performing. We need to be sensible, but relaxed and trusting, too,” she shares.

Ask her about the ongoing debate on nepotism and favouritism in the industry, and she says, “Yes, there is nepotism and favouritism, but we have enough examples of talented artistes who have made it on their own without being star kids or friends and family. I don’t think that nepotism is ingrained in our industry in a manner that outsiders will not get chances at all. I’m a complete outsider. I didn’t know anybody from the industry at all. I have been able to do some decent work so far. The only way to handle this is everybody needs to make sure that talent gets promoted. I don’t think that favouritism and nepotism exist in the way it is being projected.”