One look at your social media and it feels like you are making every day count. What’s keeping you busy these days when we are mostly housebound?
I am keeping myself busy with whatever I can. I am working out out, meditating, cleaning, cooking, watching a lot of movies. Honestly, it’s the same routine every day, but the day goes by pretty fast. When you watch the news, when you watch what’s going on out there, then you feel so grateful that you at least have a roof over your head and food on your plate. This time has made me realise so much in terms of what is actually important and what is not. I am so grateful for so many things that I wasn’t earlier for, things that I just took for granted. I also do all I can to entertain myself and entertain my followers on my social media platforms.
Is there anything new you’ve plunged into at this time?
Cooking... something that I didn’t do earlier, both for lack of time and inclination (laughs). I hated going into the kitchen earlier. But because my cook couldn’t come for obvious reasons, I’ve had to get into the kitchen and cook every day. I actually surprised myself because I discovered that I am a pretty decent cook (laughs). I think I make good pasta... Aglio e Olio, and guess what, Thai curry! I am very fond of Thai curry and I can make it pretty well now.
You are very focused on fitness. At a time when gyms have been closed for months, how have you been keeping yourself fit?
Luckily, I have a gym at home. I weight train, I do functional training, I do cardio on alternate days.... Functional training is the best and I have put up some fitness videos on my Instagram. I am experimenting with different types of workouts, but I am so used to a trainer that sometimes it becomes difficult to keep oneself motivated.
You were locked up in the Bigg Boss house as a contestant a few years ago. How would you compare being locked down then to being locked down now, for different reasons of course?
You can’t compare the two. Bigg Boss is very, very different... you’ve got cameras staring at you 24x7. I understand that we are locked up at home, but at least we have peace of mind here mostly, unlike what it is in Bigg Boss. It’s a very difficult place to be in. At the end of the day, it’s a competition, you know, and everybody is doing stuff for effect. When I came out of the Bigg Boss house, I realised how stressed I was inside.
What was distressing during the total lockdown was that I couldn’t see my nephew (Viaan Raj) and my niece (Samisha) at all. That was tough. Especially my niece... she’s just started gurgling and they grow up so fast, you know. I was upset about missing out on all these things, but luckily, Shilpa (Shetty, sister) kept showing me videos and I would get to talk to her a little.
What kind of an aunt are you?
I can’t be strict at all with them. Samisha is too small, but Viaan bullies me! (Laughs) I can’t say ‘no’ to them... I think I have always had this problem with kids.
We know that you are extremely creative. In the future, is there a plan to go beyond acting and experiment with say, directing or writing?
Absolutely not. I am happy in front of the camera, not behind it (laughs). But having said that, every time I have said, ‘No, no way!’ I have gone ahead and done it (laughs). The web, however, is something that really interests me. I think it’s thrown up huge opportunities for actors like me. It’s a great platform.
I’ve been watching a lot of content on the web... it’s been my only source of entertainment over the last few months. I finished two seasons of a Spanish series called Locked Up. I am addicted to Money Heist and I keep going back to Stranger Things. I used to love watching Outlander, but the new season is pretty boring and so I gave up.
Are you someone who goes back and watches your own work?
I hate watching my own work... I find a lot of faults. Twenty years of being around, I have, unfortunately, not had that much of work to put out. I would have definitely liked to do more films. But I am not someone who likes to watch my own films.
What’s the first thing you will do when we get back to some semblance of a normal life?
I want to get my trainer back, ya! (Laughs) I just want to know that I can sit in my car and go out whenever I want to... and feel safe doing it.
