Sayani turns singer to entertain followers

Text: Shreya Mukherjee and Sangeeta Yadav

AFTER HIS LAST FEW OTT RELEASES PANKAJ HAS BECOME A KNOWN NAME IN THE WEST. MOREOVER, HIS POPULARITY AMONG INDIANS IS ALSO HUGE.

With films like Parched, Margarita With A Straw (both 2015) Jolly LLB 2 (2017), and web shows Inside Edge and Four More Shots Please! among others, Sayani Gupta is known for delivering remarkable performances in every character she plays. Now, we have learnt that she has another talent. The Article 15 (2019) actor, is a trained singer and dancer, too.

After Prime Minister Modi announced the janata curfew on Sunday from 7am to 9pm, she decided to entertain her followers on Instagram with a Bengali song. Through the pandemic and self-isolation, she took a step to bring a smile on the faces of people, like many Indian and international singers who have been performing on social media. Many followers caught her performance through a live Instagram performance and gave her an overwhelming response.

Talking about singing, Gupta, who also sang a song in Article 15, says, “I have been singing with my father since I was a year-and-a-half. He was a musician and we would regularly do riyaaz. Music is very powerful and deeply moving, motivating, positive and collaborative. It’s the need of the hour that we stay connected virtually and share art and music in our own different ways.” she concludes.

Several Bollywood celebrities have taken to their social media to create awareness about COVID-10 novel Coronavirus. From protective clothing to elbow greetings and the best songs to sing while washing hands, they have been offering their suggestions on social media and sharing their tips. Many have participated in the Hand Wash Challenge to spread the message about staying protected from the virus.

Pallavi Joshi might not have been bitten by the social media bug yet but she has come forth to stress on how one can spend some quality time with the self at this time of social distancing. Talking about how therapeutic isolation is, she shares, “I am sure everyone must be bored cooped up in their homes and not stepping out even though I sincerely hope that everyone is doing just that. I am utterly bored. But I have decided to utilise this time to connect with my friends. Due to our hectic schedules, we remain in touch only on WhatsApp. So, I am calling my friends and having long conversations with them. It really brightens up the day.”

She says that this is the time to “inspire each other” to spend more time with our families and also engage in some ‘me time’. “I am tending to my plants, cleaning around the house, reading, spending time with my dogs and trying to cook up activities for the family together. I also strongly suggest everyone to stick to guidelines set by the government and World Health Organization,” the actor signs off.

PHOTO: SARIKA GANGWAL Pankaj Tripathi

Sayani Gupta

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ VIVEKAGNIHOTRI Pallavi Joshi

I’m happy spending time with my three-year-old daughter, Kimaya. We play indoor games, such as ludo and carrom, and I help her learn alphabets, numbers, colours, etc. Also, I’m catching up on some reading, and watching films online. I love reading, and I’m happy I can do a lot of it now. I’ve started with two books — Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Both these books have been recommended by my friends.

I just got a barbecue grill machine installed on my terrace. I’m going to learn how to prepare dishes on it. I’m also taking walks in the mornings and evenings with my daughter, Tara.

Debina (Bonnerjee) and I are making some dance videos at home and will upload them online, soon. I’ll also utilise this time to hone my acting skills and prepare for my next movie, The Wife. I never really got time to learn to cook. But now, I’m learning to cook through online classes and tutorials, especially the dishes that my husband (Mayank Gandhi) likes.

My brother (Somrik Ghosh) and I are enjoying watching films and shows on OTT platforms, playing card games and working out together at home. We have a wedding coming up in the family, so we’ll get time to plan that as well.

I enjoy carpentry, and love making new stuff. To utilise this time, I’m planning to get a few fences in place for my garden area. Besides this, I’m also looking at cycling as a form of workout, since gyms are shut.

I’m using this time for my yoga sessions. Also, I will cook a lot during this time. I just love rustling up new dishes in my kitchen, and experiment every day.