Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 31, 2020)

The Coronavirus lockdown has given me a chance to reassess my relationships with friends, family, confidantes and acquaintances and revaluate my bond with them. I’ll be spending my birthday making group calls with friends from my hometown and Mumbai,” says actor Sobhita Dhulipala, who turns 28 today. “This birthday will be an intimate affair. I’m going to cook a dish which my mum used to cook when I was a child. I’ll also read some poetry and listen to jazz music,” she adds.

Dhulipala admits she’s never been a fan of elaborate birthday celebrations, as she finds comfort in simplicity. “I like and find comfort in a lack of pomp and flair,” she says. Being away from family is not easy, but for the Made In Heaven actor, this isn’t something new. She shares, “My parents live in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. My sister is a doctor in Pune. My dad was a sailor and he’d be away for eight out of 12 months. Hence, we’re very familiar with the idea of not functioning as one full unit (laughs).”

Going forward, Dhulipala plans to culturally enrich herself. “The first thing I am going to do after the lockdown is to learn a musical instrument. I’ve always been obsessed with percussion instruments. I want to be much closer to my home culture. I feel like I’m becoming a version of my mother with each passing year,” she says.

The birthday girl also wants to get in touch with her spiritual side. “It has been triggered by Irrfan’s passing. I’ve been watching his movies and interviews. He had a spiritual approach to life, which is extremely inspiring. My journey, this time, is going to be more inwards,” she signs off.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 8, 2020)

“This virus has humbled the planet. I’m someone who’s naturally inclined to being close to the nature. I don’t think I’ve a strong capitalist drive, but during times like these, I feel closer to myself,” says Sobhita Dhulipala who’s looking for the silver lining during this 21-day lockdown period owing to the Coronavirus health crisis.

The actor is proud of her younger sister who’s a doctor and is currently working round the clock to save lives. “She’s pursuing a degree in radiology. The amount of work that she is doing has been increased by a huge margin. I see pictures of her at work with a doctor’s coat and a mask and it makes me very proud,” she says, adding, “I feel a tremendous amount of respect towards doctors. We owe them so much. They’re like Gods in a lab coat right now.”

How much has her life changed post the lockdown? “I realise that my life isn’t too different from what it was before the lockdown,” she quips, adding, “I never had a house help. I always run my own errands, and I read all the time even during shoot schedules. I’ve a small column on my Instagram that says ‘book of the month’. I’m reading Celestial Bodies now.”