Despite apprehensions about the jab, Suchitra Pillai admits it’s the only way out
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 22, 2021)

Actor Suchitra Pillai is not happy with the members of the industry who rushed to Goa after the lockdown was announced in Maharashtra. “The ongoing chaos is crazy. We are listening to such horror stories coming out of Goa. I even lost a friend recently,” says Pillai, as she condemns the industry people who opted for Goa as an alternative shooting destination. “Everyone just threw caution to the wind and went there for shooting and other stuff. I think people just took a lot of advantage of the fact that it was more open than other cities, and that caused the chaos,” adds the actor, who came back to Mumbai from Goa just before the Coronavirus lockdown was announced in the state.

She believes the only thing left to do now is to “sit at home and get oneself vaccinated”. “Initially, I was of a different opinion regarding the vaccination. I didn’t really want to take it, but recently got my first dose. My main reason behind getting it is the safety of my mother, who is in her early 70s. I am the one who interacts with her the most, and I want to protect myself so I can protect her,” reveals the 50-year-old.

But why was she hesitant to take the jab? “I don’t believe in taking things that have not been researched on for more than one year. Nothing is foolproof if it is not researched on for at least five to six years,” she says, revealing that she got a fever after taking the shot, but is fine now.

That said, the actor, who was last seen in the web series, Hello Mini, asserts that getting a vaccine shot has become crucial to protect oneself and loved ones. “It is our only hope to save ourselves now. We don’t really have much of a choice. Soon, it will become compulsory when you have to travel. So, that is unavoidable,” expresses the actor, who is hoping to restart work soon, and complete her projects which got suspended because of the rising number of cases in the country.