Rupali Ganguly had planned to spend quality time with her husband and son on her birthday today. However, the Anupamaa actress has to be away from them as she has tested positive for Coronavirus. She is presently self-quarantining away from her family. We spoke to her about her health, the impact on her TV show now and her son Rudransh, who she misses the most. Excerpts from a chat:

Rupali had asked for leave in advance so that she could celebrate her birthday with her family. She says, “I wanted to spend some quality time with my family, especially with my son and my husband. I had planned so much for my birthday. But I think when I was busy making plans; God must have been laughing at me, knowing what was in store for me.” The actress now plans to celebrate a quiet birthday in the company of her dogs.

Rupali, who has quarantined herself in another house after testing positive, says, “I have a household help with me who had tested positive sometime back. She is in a PPE kit throughout the day, though. I also have many books with me to read.”

Rupali wishes to see her son on her birthday. “On my birthday today, I wish to see my son, mom and husband from a distance. I miss them a lot,” says an emotional Rupali. Eagerly waiting to test negative, she adds, “The first thing that I want to do once I test negative is hug and kiss my son. I was petrified for my family’s safety. Thankfully, their reports have come negative.”

Ask her how she is spending time, and pat comes her reply, “Not by watching web series for sure! People have suggested so many movies and web series, but I haven’t switched on the TV yet, not even to watch Anupamaa. Also, health-wise the symptoms are showing slowly, like now I am losing my sense of smell and taste.”

Rupali says she wants to make the most of this phase by spending time with herself. “I want to start an inward journey. This phase is teaching me that I need to love myself and that I am important for myself, too.”

Like many shows, makers of Anupamaa, too, are likely to explore an alternate track in Rupali’s absence. The actress shares, “On the day I went for my COVID test, they had started working on an alternative track. I feel bad that I have tested positive. I know other actors have tested positive too, but the show is called Anupamaa, and it won’t be easy to manage things, but our scriptwriters are fantastic. A lot has happened on our show in the past few weeks, but we have managed to retain the top position because of the writers. They are adept at making the transition in tracks smoothly.”

Actor Rupali Ganguly recently tested positive for Coronavirus. But she hasn’t lost her chirpiness one bit. “That I will never let go of, even Covid-19 can’t get that out. I am feeling the effects now. Taste ka gadbad ho raha hai, zabaan thodi bhaari (heavy) lag rahi hai,” she says.

The actor was slated to ring in her birthday today at Alibag and even scheduled her holiday for three days, but the universe had other plans. “It’s going to be heart-breaking. I am a very family oriented person. I don’t have friends, I have my family who are like my friends. Last birthday I was on a video call with my family, saying ‘next year we’ll celebrate’. This year, we had a nice bungalow booked in Alibag. Ab toh pati aur bachcha bhi nahin honge paas. Aisa birthday, yeh yaadgar rahega. I have to throw a party for my unit (soon),” the 43-year-old quips.

With a host of TV actors getting Covid-19, there must be fear. Ganguly says, “We can only think ‘we got it from there’. It’s definitely not from my sets, because my set is a fortress.”

While her staff, hubby, son and mother-in-law have tested negative, Ganguly is paranoid about the show’s track, but is keeping her fingers crossed. “The fear is always there. Complacency ke liye there’s no space. Hum log entertainers hai aur humara kaam hain entertain karte rehna. Main toh yahi kehti hoon Rajan (producer) ko ki hamare show ko kisi ki badi buri nazar lag gayi hai,” says the Sarabhai vs Sarabhai actor, adding, “Corona is a thing; it’s not about if you’ll get it. It’s about when you get it. Yeh hona toh hum sabko hain,” she adds.

Ganguly admits that she was more worried for her family. “All that was in my head. Plus sets mein nahin jaana hoga itne din tak. I was feeling guilty. I know how I have been lapsed and been so careless about this,” she adds.