Paoli Dam
“I haven’t cooked for a long time. So, I’m doing that a lot, besides reading books. I am also trying to bring myself to write, since I hardly get the time to write. Whatever concepts are cluttering the mind, I jot them down. I am also pampering myself a lot and taking more care of my hair and skin. Besides, I make it a point to workout since it’s a habit with me, especially doing a lot of rehab workout. Even while I am in an outdoor shoot, I take a mini-gym kit with me.
Also, for ages, I have forgotten what an afternoon nap was, so I’m catching up on that too. I am watching a lot of web-series and just completed watching Elite and You. Another thing I have managed to do is rearrange and de-clutter my wardrobe — that was long-pending. I was supposed to go for an outdoor shoot via Kolkata and my husband is at home in Guwahati. We never knew such an emergency would occur. Needless to say, we are missing each other, and staying in touch over the phone and video calls. Eat healthy and drink plenty of warm water to increase your immunity.”
Abir Chatterjee
“One habit that went away with time and, of course, with the work pressure, is reading. I am trying to reinstate that habit during the lockdown period. I always loved reading and I am poring over some great literary works, now that I am grounded at home. The few books that I am reading include Open, An Autobiography by Andre Agassi and Nabaneeta Dev Sen’s Bhraman Samagra. Besides, I am also watching a lot of cinema and web series including Family Man and Chernobyl. I am also listening to a lot of music. Though I am not an expert at household chores, I am trying my level best to help my wife Nandini with the work.
Arpita Chatterjee
“Since I love cooking, I am preparing new dishes every day — it is therapeutic and time flies. Something that I have started doing again due to the lockdown is to resurrect my reading habit. I always used to relish fiction, but I never could sit with a book since it’s time-consuming and demands concentration. But now, with no distraction like phone calls and social media, I have started reading Jeffrey Archer’s Kane and Abel. It’s so engaging that I am wondering why it has not yet been made into a web series!
My fitness regimen has gone for a toss since no matter what, I can’t exercise at home. Besides reading, I am watching a lot of movies with my son, Mishuk. Though this lockdown might turn a bit depressing at times, I always look at the brighter sides of things, and the best thing I noticed is that the sound and air pollution has come down drastically, which is such a breather. Also, as a parent, I feel, this is a golden opportunity for us to explore the untapped talents of kids, who are not burdened by schoolwork and other activities. This extra time also increases family bonding a lot, so make the most of it while praying that everything returns to normalcy soon.
Ishaa Saha
“As a child, I learnt the art and really loved to paint, so I am creating a lot of digital paintings with the help of some really interesting painting apps. Ever since my days at law college, I gradually started losing touch with this hobby. The tie was completely severed when I started acting. I am trying to rekindle the love affair. Another thing that I am doing obsessively is binge-watching series.
I have an account on every OTT platform, and I’m watching all the popular series and films that I missed out on — be it Malayalam, Turkish or European films. And funnily, since I am used to watching them at night, at times, I end up falling asleep after breakfast. Sometimes, my sleep cycle goes for a toss. On a serious note, on the work front, my film Golondaaj and another web film are stuck halfway through, and I sincerely pray that this pandemic ends soon, so that we all can resume our normal lives again.”
Nusrat Jahan
“I am taking out time during this lockdown to do things that I usually do not get time for, especially painting and reading. I am trying to wake up very early nowadays, and work out, and get ready to be at home. Nikhil and I clean up the house, and I prepare the day’s food.
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We are playing a lot of board games nowadays, it’s very interactive in nature and a great way to bond as a family. We are also binge-watching a lot of web-series and originals on the various OTT platforms. I also keep a daily tab on the news, and stay connected on phone with the administration and people of my constituency at Basirhat.”
Riddhi Sen
“Luckily, I wrapped up shooting my short film Coldfire just before the lockdown, and Indradeep Dasgupta’s Bismillah, where I play the lead, has also been completed. So, I have no pending work, and I am devoting a whole lot of my time reading up a lot of stuff, ranging from Ramchandra Guha’s India After Gandhi to Yuval Noah Harari’s 21 Lessons For The 21st Century. I am also trying to learn cooking from my mother (actor Reshmi Sen), who’s a prolific cook and I tried rustling up stir-fried chicken in Teriyaki sauce, which turned out quite well. I also strum my guitar every day, since I take regular lessons from composer Joy Sarkar, which is not happening now due to the lockdown.
Srijit Mukherji
“I just returned from a shoot in Africa for my film on Kakababu, when the lockdown started. I am doing nothing in particular during this period. But one thing I have done is completing the script for my next, Iti Bina, which is based on the life and times of patriot and freedom fighter Bina Das. For the uninitiated, she is the legendary Indian revolutionary and nationalist who attempted to assassinate the Bengal Governor Stanley Jackson, in the Convocation Hall of the University of Calcutta. She fired five shots, but failed in her bid and was sentenced to nine years of rigorous punishment. Besides completing the script, I am catching up on long-pending sleep and several web-series and films, eating, sleeping and praying that we all remain safe and emerge victorious in this battle with the coronavirus.”
Srabanti Chatterjee & Roshan Singh
“We have taken the lockdown in a very positive stride, and we are enjoying the time with our parents, who are also with us. We are watching movies, web-series and playing a lot of cards. The feeling is almost like that of living in the Big Boss house. Roshan and I are both foodies, and we are cooking endlessly and eating tasty meals. We are also huge dog lovers and have four dogs at home. And we also make it a point to feed over a dozen street dogs in our neighbourhood, since they also need care and love during these trying times. Every day, I take all the precautions and go down and give them their food. We should be kind to everybody and should not hoard food. That way, everyone gets their share of their daily meal. We hope that this epidemic ends soon. Till then, stay safe, stay healthy.”
Tnusree Chakraborty
“I was supposed to be in Kalimpong to shoot my next film, Abar Bochor Kuri Porey. But suddenly, everything came to a full stop with life standing still. Initially, I got a little panic-stricken and couldn’t concentrate for a while, but a lockdown is the only way to save the human race against this infectious and lethal virus. I am spending a lot of time cooking, especially Continental and Mughlai, besides doing other household chores. I am also binge-watching a lot and recently finished watching the web-series This Is Us and Money Heist. I am making it a point not to miss on exercising and I do a lot of freehand and stretching on a regular basis to keep fit. Corona has taught us one big lesson — we were running too fast and forgetting that we are all equal when nature gets back. We should all curtail on luxury, and go back to basics in this time of crisis. Please stay healthy and safe.”
Jisshu & Nilanjanaa Sengupta
“I am cooking a lot, and Jisshu and I are watching a lot of movies and playing board games with Sara and Zara, which is simply an amazing way to bond as a family. Since Jisshu is always busy shooting either in Mumbai or here, we are making the most of this quality family time that we are getting. Apart from cooking, playing and watching movies, we as a family, love gardening, and all of us are doing a lot of that too.