‘I tried to write but it is quite tough’
Actor Sachin Khedekar who’s known for his performances in films such as Astitva (2000) and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero (2004) says the lockdown has hit actors and technicians severely.
“Theatres will be the last ones to open. They were also the first to close down. If there is no gathering, there is no theatre. I think television shootings will be the first to start because they will have to start shooting. Bollywood will take a considerable amount of time because I don’t think the stars will come out and shoot until they feel safe,” he says.
The actor who started spending a lot more time with his family owing to the lockdown, says, “I bingedwatched a lot of shows. I am also reading a lot. I started writing but it is quite tough. I am also working towards reading a one act play. I haven’t thought about performing it. I am going to do a solo show. If the theatres don’t open by the time it’s done, I will perform it for an online audience.”
Talking about his recent Gujarati film, Golkeri, which couldn’t do it’s proper run in the cinema halls due to the pandemic, Khedekar says, “It is a very well made film. I was very happy to get the opportunity to do this role again. I played the same role in the Marathi version of the film, Muramba. It was released on February 20, then the lockdown happened. But it’s now on an OTT platform and I am glad a larger audience will be able to watch it. I would have been happier if the film was in the theatre for some more time. But I always believe that a good film will find its own audience.”
The 55-year-old actor has also worked with the late actor Irrfan Khan in a show titled Adhikaar. “The show was shot over a period of three years. I used to find Irrfan very interesting. He was not a very talkative fellow, he used to keep to himself but when he came in front of the camera, it was magic,” he recounts.