People are taken aback when Harshvardhan Rane tells them that he shares an apartment with his ex, Minnakshi Das, in Mumbai. But the fact is that they are the best of friends today and they share a beautiful bond. In October last year, Harshvardhan tested positive for Coronavirus and was admitted to the ICU for four days. During this difficult time, Minnakshi looked after him. The actor tells us, “The only family member, or if I may call her my parent, who was with me when I tested positive, was Minnakshi. Unfortunately, she was infected, too, because she was tending to me when I was unwell. I had isolated myself for a couple of days, but my fever wasn’t subsiding and hence, she had to enter the room. Fortunately, her case wasn’t as severe as mine. So, while I had to be admitted in the ICU, she was recovering at home… all by herself. Those two weeks were quite stressful and taxing.”

His sister, Rohini Rane, who lives in Goa, too, wanted to come to Mumbai to be by her brother’s side, but the actor stopped her. He shares, “Both Minnakshi and I dissuaded my sister from coming, as I was petrified of her getting infected.”

Harshvardhan says that phase taught him who his true friends are and who will stand by him always. “I will forever be indebted to Minnakshi for taking care of me while putting her health at risk. I feel sad that she had to suffer from COVID-19 because of me. For me, the word family isn’t just restricted to those who are related to you by blood, but also those you choose on your journey of life. I feel that the bond between two friends becomes stronger when life throws a challenge and catches you off guard. Minnakshi has always shown how strong she can be in difficult times,” he signs off.