Actor Shriya Pilgaonkar, a goodwill ambassador for the All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF), was in for a shock as she recently returned from New Zealand amid the air pollution crisis in the Capital.

“The crazy part is that I was in New Zealand recently, where the AQI was 1...,” she says, ruing that Delhi has been blanketed in smog. Air is the most basic need of a citizen, she adds.

However, the 35-year-old warns that engaging in a blame game is futile. “It’s easy for people to put the blame on the government. But there are so many steps that we need to take, too. We need to act collectively. That is when things will change,” she feels.

The Taaza Khabar fame actor admits, “It is very scary to me that we are breathing toxic air... Especially, after Diwali, (these) things happen every year. Now, I am concerned about how things will get worse in the times to come.”

She stresses, “We, as a country, need to come together... We need to act. Because to breathe in clean air is the most basic right of life.”

The actor, who is the daughter of actor-couple Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar, emphasises the need for collective action: “Everything, even the smallest thing, matters... At the personal level, we need to figure out what we can do better. Can I use a wooden straw? How much plastic do I use? Instead of taking three cars, can I take one? The role we play as citizens — taking up individual responsibility to do our best to live sustainably — adds up in the larger scheme of things.”

Ask her what she thinks about the need for film festivals as a goodwill ambassador for ALT EFF — which is currently under way — and she says, “The reason why I believe in the power of some festivals is because they truly broaden your mind with diverse stories and storytelling. The atmosphere of film festivals is extremely nourishing.”