Shefali’s ‘depressing’ flying experience
For actor Shefali Jariwala, the last three months in lockdown have just been an extension of the ‘lockdown’ she was under right before, for the reality show Bigg Boss. “These have been such good and frustrating times. It is very good to be at home after the Bigg Boss lockdown, which lasted over three months for me. Ek se nikal ke doosre mein aa gayi.”
As part of lockdown relaxations, when domestic flights resumed in the last week of May, she was among the first few people to fly, as her fatherin-law had passed away. The actor had also posted a picture on Instagram, wearing a face shield. When asked about the flying experience, Jariwala calls it “partly different”, as she wasn’t in the right mood owing to the situation at home.
“Luckily, flights had started that very day. There was a lot of frustration as many flights got cancelled, too. I had never seen the Mumbai airport like that, as it is one of the busiest airports,” she recounts.
Not just confusion and chaos, the fear in the air was also apparent. She tells us, “There were very few people, and to enter the airport itself, our temperatures were checked. We had to have the safe status on the Aarogya Setu app. There was social distancing and hand sanitisers everywhere, and our IDs were checked from a distance. There was no taxi service available when we landed in Delhi. The sentiments were low, and it was depressing. It should be better now, however.”
With unlock 2.0 underway, the 37-year-old feels it’s a “very crucial time”, as it can lead to serious repercussions. Expressing concern, she says, “The guidelines have changed, certain relaxations have been given. Like our Prime Minister said, ‘Aatm nirbhar bano’, you have to look after your own self now, and step out only if absolutely important. Certain offices have started, public transport, too, but then you see some videos of people not being careful, and rushing into buses and trains. This is the time we’ve to be even more careful to flatten the curve.”