I feel that the vaccine is a political thing; the biggest scam

AFor me, my body is a temple, and I’m not putting chemicals inside my body.

BIJAY J ANAND, Actor

t a time when many celebrities are endorsing the vaccination drive and urging the public to take the jab, actor Bijay J Anand has made up his mind that he is not going to “get vaccinated”. He tells us, “For me, my body is a temple, and I’m not putting chemicals inside my body.” The Broken But Beautiful 3 and Shershaah actor goes on, “I’ve lost two films, which were to be shot in London. I’ve lost a big web series that would be shot in Serbia. I’m supposed to be getting an award in Dubai, but I can’t go there. Professionally, I’ve seen it all. Even though I’m losing work, I won’t get myself vaccinated.”

Recently, American rapper Nicki Minaj tweeted that she didn’t attend the Met Gala because it required attendees to get vaccinated. “If I get vaccinated, it won’t for the Met. It’ll be (vaccinated) once I feel I’ve done enough research. I’m working on that now. In the meantime my loves, be safe. Wear the mask with 2 strings that grips your head & face…” she wrote.

That being said, Anand admits that he’s missing out on things. “My 14-year-old daughter has got her first role in a film. She’s going to London, but because both my wife (Sonnali Khare) and I aren’t vaccinated, she’s going there alone,” he rues, adding, “She’s disappointed. But we’ve taken a stand. I feel that the vaccine is a political thing and probably one of the biggest scams in the history of mankind. So, this is my stand and I’m not going to give in so that I can travel and make money.”

Not just acting assignments, Anand, who is also a Kundalini Yoga teacher, says that he won’t be able to attend the Holistic International Festival of Yoga in Manchester Festival too, where he is the lead trainer. “Teaching is an opportunity to help people and I’m even leaving that... It’ll (vaccination) happen when it has to happen, Covid isn’t going to remain in our lives forever,” he ends.