Aahana Kumra Brought In Her Birthday During the Lockdown

Betaal , Marzi  and Lipstick Under The Burqa actress Aahan Kumra  brought in her birthday  on May 1 with cakes from friends.

“We didn’t  want to bake  anything since  Rishi Kapoorji and Irrfan  Khanji had passed away  just  before  my birthday. But being with my sister her husband and their son Arjun,  who is  my best friend, made the day special,” says Aahana .

 The  lockdown has  not been too difficult on her. “When the  lockdown started  none of  us knew when it would end.We still don’t kmow. In spite  of the talk  of the lockdown ending there is no respite from the  infection. But I’m not complaining. Two of my web series Marzi on Voot and Betaal on  Netflix have been  released. The  response has been encouraging. It’s been  a pretty rewarding time because I was promoting two of my shows while spending time with my sister and then moving back to spend time with my parents.”

Aahana  watches a  lot of shows that she wouldn’t have  got the  time to see otherwise. “When one is working round the clock one hardly gets a chance to see the work of other actors. I watched  some fantastic  work on OTT, actors  whose work I really admire. Another thing I got a chance to do is pray.  All of us had stopped doing that. I think this lockdown has  made me pray and meditate, and these activities have lowered my anxiety level. You can  call  him Ooparwala  or  you can her Mother Nature.  I have become  a firm believer.”

Work continues  from home from Aahana.  “Promoting films from home on Zoom calls and Skype has been an experience. Everything that needed to be  done I’ve done  from home. I had to be  very careful about not going out because my nephew is  3 and my parents are around 70. I had to make  sure not to jeopardize  anyone’s health.”

YouTube has been  a great help  for the workouts. “I’m grateful  to all those who  have posted workout videos on YouTube. They’ve inspired me to  exercize  at  home. I have lost 1 kilo.So I’ve nothing to complain about.”

Aahana admits she is sleeping a  lot more. “I don’t think I’ve slept so much since  the  time I started working. I also sleep in the afternoons these  days, and that’s a habit I’ll find hard to kick off once  shooting resumes. Right now I’m not rushed at all.I am also eating a lot of chocolates,I don’t know why! Otherwise I am eating healthy ghar ka khana,  no junk food.”

Aahana’s  advice to her audience? “This lockdown has not been easy for anyone. I’ve been lucky to be working from home. God has been kind , by giving me much to do.Some of my colleagues  are not that lucky. They call me  and break down on the phone since they  don’t know what to do with their time. This is  not an easy time,specially for those who are  not living with family.”

 Aahana  is concerned     about the  number of suicides after the lockdown. “It is so sad when  people  say  suicide  is a sign  of cowardice.That’s easy for people to say.  They don’t know what that suicidal person is  going  through.  I advise  fans  and followers to  meditate  or yoga. Rich or poor,we are  feeling like animals in cages . We need  to  stay calm  and yoga  will really help.”

“I miss seeing  my makeup Dadas and oncrew Didis,  my co-stars who are such dear friends. I wonder when I’ll see them  again! I am in constant  touch with  all of  my  co-workers and  helping them in every possible way. When I  see people on the roads from my window and see children without slippers walking on the  road.And  I feel really miserable,”says Aahana.

What’s been the highlight  during the last few days? “I gave my father a haircut and he hated it. Then I  gave my mother a haircut and she  thankfully, liked it. My mother is passionate about animal welfare.So we go down every day to the streets to feed stray dogs and cats. Everybody I  have a  mission. Like cleaning a cupboard, or scrubbing  the kitchen. All three of us work out in the morning, then we go into our respective prayers. In the evening we go up to our terrace to soak in  some fresh air. I read a book, do some yoga on the terrace. I have  gone back to  reading. We  go into the kitchen and cook up something.  It’s been time well spent with my parents.”

Aahana  is proud of  the entertainment industry. “They’ve all done their  bit, whether it’s by making people laugh through their videos, or donating food, arranging  buses, doing  corona-awareness campaigns.What a  fantastic industry I am part  of!”