Soumitra Das (BOMBAY TIMES; January 18, 2021)

Former cricketer Irfan Pathan, who will be making his big-screen debut with the upcoming Tamil film Cobra, recently resumed shooting for the film in Chennai and says that it feels good to be shooting again after a long break. “Of course, it feels good to be shooting for a film again amid the Coronavirus pandemic. While the experience is completely different as compared to shooting before the pandemic, it was important to resume working while following all the safety precautions,” he shares.

‘THE MORE RESTRICTIONS ARE THERE, THE MORE COMFORTABLE I FEEL’
I had a three-day outdoor schedule in Chennai and soon, I will go back for a longer schedule. We are being very cautious while shooting and every precaution is being followed on the set. While doing IPL commentary and for the league I played in Sri Lanka, I was living in a bio-bubble and while it is never easy when your movement is restricted, I understand that this is much-needed for everyone’s safety. In fact, the more restrictions are there, the more comfortable I feel. As long as we are taking adequate precautions and looking after ourselves well, resuming work is fine. When I go for a long schedule, I take Safa (his wife) and my son Imran along.

‘IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH VIKRAM’
Apart from being a great actor, Chiyaan Vikram is a really fabulous and humble guy. I loved his performances in films like Aparichit and I, and have always liked successful people who have humility. I have picked up quite a few Tamil words while working in this film and it has been a great learning experience. I think people will be pleasantly surprised with my performance. In fact, I was offered another film a few months back, but I refused the offer as I did not like the role.

‘I BELIEVE 2021 WILL BE A MUCH BETTER YEAR FOR EVERYBODY’
2020 was a very difficult year for everyone. Many of us lost our loved ones, there were job cuts and people faced financial woes like never before. A lot went wrong for us and now, it’s time to focus on our mental and physical well-being. Jab haalat itni mushkil hoti hai, uss ke baad aasani hoti hai. Aur wo aasani der tak chalti hai! 2020 was one of the darkest phases in our lives and I believe that 2021 will be a much better year for everybody.