Lovekesh Solanki Interview: “Coronavirus Pandemic Has Taught Us How To Survive In Extreme Situations”

Young and charming actor Lovekesh Solanki, who has proved his acting prowess in such shows as Swim Team (2015), Pardes Mein Hai Meraa Dil (2016) and Mayavi Maling (2018), is currently quarantining at his flat in Mumbai, thousands of kilometres away from his family and loved ones.

Recently, STARBIZ connected with Lovekesh Solanki over the phone and tried to find out how he has been surviving the lockdown, activities keeping him occupied amid Coronavirus restrictions, and if he has developed any new skill over the past two months. The actor also shares with us his views on how the ongoing pandemic will impact showbiz in the long run and how OTT platforms will make the most of the situation.

How are you coping with the ongoing lockdown?

It has been full two months since I have been quarantining at home all alone. I strongly feel that having a routine is very important at this time. So, I get up around 11 or 11:30 in the morning, and after taking the shower, I eat fruits and sit down to watch something or the other on television.

Then I get down to preparing lunch for myself. I eat my lunch around 3 or 3:30 PM. After that, I watch TV again for a couple of hours. In the evening, I work-out. Since all gyms are shuttered, I am working-out at home only, just like the most of us.

So, how do you work-out at home without any gym equipment?

So, I have a big, sturdy bag which I have filled with weights. Obviously, it cannot make up for high-end gym equipment, but it is helpful. Something is better than nothing, you know. I am a fitness freak. I cannot live without working-out. So using whatever tools that I have at my disposal at the moment is the only option.

Did you try to go back to your hometown before the lockdown was imposed?

My family lives in Delhi, and I did try to go back. I had even booked a flight ticket, but soon the government announced restrictions for air travel. I even tried to go by road, but things did not fall into place. Now I feel lucky that I did not go by road. Had I tried reaching home by road, I would have also been stuck somewhere or the other just like so many people out there.

Were you working on any project when the lockdown was announced?

Yes, I was shooting for a film called Prithviraj, based on the great Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan. It stars Akshay (Kumar) sir. His character has four primary warriors in his army, one of them is played by me. It is a very action-oriented character, involving horse-riding, sword-fighting, etc. We had shot almost 80% of the film before the lockdown came into force. As far as I know, only the last leg of the shoot is pending. We would have completed the whole film by 5^th May had there been no pandemic or lockdown.

Did you develop any new skill or hobby during this lockdown?

Well, I did not know that I could cook well. But I have certainly developed great cooking skills over the past two months. If I put it in a better way, I would say that this pandemic has taught me and all of us, for that matter, how to survive. It has taught us survival. Though we all had survival skills, this pandemic has sort of honed those skills.

I had never thought that one day I had to put weights in a bag to work-out at home. I had never thought that I would cook food for two months and so. But when the situation arose, I had to do it all by myself. This pandemic has taught us how to survive in extreme situations without stepping out of our houses. You can stay at your home, practise meditation and do yoga to keep yourself healthy and fit. It is a golden opportunity to spend time with your family. If you are not living with your family, you can facetime with them.

How this pandemic is going to change the entertainment industry?

There are going to be massive changes when the industry resumes work after few months. Masks, gloves and sanitizers are going to be compulsory for the entire crew. Makers will try to avoid extra crowds on sets. Shoots will be done in smaller units. Actors will put off their marks only when they are in front of the camera, giving a shot. I think we will be shooting in fear for some time. On a lighter note, everyone will look the same on sets in masks. Corona is a great equalizer. Isn’t it?

Do you think that the entire situation is going to benefit OTT platforms a lot?

Yes, definitely! So many web-series have done terrifically well in the past few months. People had never waited so desperately for web-shows the way they do now. That is a clear indication that how strong OTT platforms’ hold is on today’s audience. There is no doubt that people are getting bored at home and they need fresh content to consume and keep themselves entertained. But the hangover may continue forever. Web-shows are here to stay.