From adhering to safety measures to limited hours of shoot, production units are trying hard to keep Coronavirus at bay. Actor Bhumi Pednekar, who is currently shooting for Raksha Bandhan in Mumbai, lauds the State’s decision of rolling out an eight-hour schedule.

“So far, it has been quite comfortable. I return home by evening as opposed to the pre-pandemic time when we would pack up at nine in the night. Everybody is more productive. They understand they’ve limited hours,” she shares.

For Pednekar, the joy of coming back to a film set remains unparalleled. She explains, “I started working really early and so, I’ve always had a working life. I missed acting and the joy I felt while playing a character.”

The fear of the Delta plus variant looms large but the Durgamati (2020) actor believes that it is important for everyone to push their fears aside and resume work. “Our economy needs to run. It’s easier for actors because our shop never shuts. But there are daily wage workers on a set who need support, be it in terms of mental health or monetary aid,” she states.

Pednekar hosted a virtual plasma donation drive when the country was hit by the Covid second wave. She says interacting with the families of those affected has really changed her perspective towards life. “I used to feel a sense of disconnection, but engaging in Covid-relief work reconnected me to humanity,” she concludes.