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I don’t like the term ‘new normal’, says Radhika Apte
Actor Radhika Apte, who has been in London, UK, since the lockdown was announced in India, says it’s the “longest break” she has got in many years.
“In this period, I ate well, exercised, tried to write and watch, and do nothing, without any pressure of having to be at any place. All these have been really good things. But, there have been too many bad things, too,” she says, referring to the ways in which Covid-19 has affected everyone.
“That (deaths due to the pandemic) is just a small fraction of it. The consequences it has had on the economy is one thing. But people and their livelihood, the situation of migrant workers, is horrible in India,” she adds.
Apte shares that some of her friends have been helping these migrants actively, but unfortunately, she can’t be there. “It’s beyond horrible, the food in the trains [in which migrants are travelling]. It makes you think was corona better than this, at some point,” she shares.
The 34-year-old further tells us that the situation in London is much better than it was two months ago. “It’s way better than in India. They let us go out for a while, we can meet friends in an open space. The weather is great too, and the markets are going to open now,” she says.
When asked if she can sense a ‘new normal’ setting in already, the actor says, “I don’t like this term, ‘new normal’. It’s there until the time we find a vaccine to tackle the issue. We’ll go back to normal, I believe. Once we go back there, we’ll forget all about this.”
Though unlock 1.0 is underway, many are still choosing not to step out and remain extra cautious. And this extended period of being locked up inside the house is bound to get to one at some point.
On how she maintains her sanity, Apte says, “To be honest, (I belong) to one of the most privileged classes. I have a house, enough money in the bank, things to eat, my family has been well. There are no monetary or health issues. Of course, I’ve lost work and money, too, but that’s nothing compared (to the grim situation). Personally, I’ve had far more to learn from it.”