If the second wave hadn’t taken a toll on our lives and work, Mrunal Thakur’s film Toofaan, alongside Farhan Akhtar, would have released by now. While the actress is currently homebound in Mumbai, during a chat with us, she shared anecdotes from her recent trips to Kashmir. Mrunal got an opportunity to visit the picturesque locale not once, but twice this year, for work. “I was in seventh grade when I visited Kashmir for the first time. My family and I had visited the Vaishno Devi temple,” she recalls, adding, “This time around, I got an opportunity to go there twice within such a short time span. In fact, I was lucky to witness the first snowfall of my life in Kashmir this year.”

Mrunal further shares, “In January, I went to Gulmarg and Srinagar. It snowed in Srinagar, and I was completely spellbound. Later, in April, I went to Sonamarg and witnessed snowfall once again.”

Mrunal says, “I can’t believe that in the 28 years of my life, this year, I got to witness snowfall not once but twice. In Sonmarg, the temperature was -9 degrees Celsius. It was fun having chai, instant noodles and pakodas in such cold weather. I also went to the tulip garden. I felt like I was in the middle of a romantic movie scene, because wherever I turned, I could only see flowers. I also visited Dal Lake and got a taste of the local cuisine.”

Totally blown away by the beauty of Kashmir, she adds, “It’s heaven on earth and helped me stay sane during the Coronavirus chaos. The beauty of the place and its nature kept me calm and even healed me. I shopped for a lot of goodies for my folks like dry fruits, kesar and even, a pashmina shawl that I surprised my mom with. I plan to take my parents along on my next trip to Kashmir.”

These days, the actress is using the time at her home in Mumbai to sharpen her skills as an artiste. “I am focusing on my dancing and have resumed taking online Kathak lessons. I keep myself engaged and hope that I sail through this phase smoothly,” she signs off.