Nafisa Ali Sodhi: If our politicians over 65 can work, then why target actors?

While actor Nafisa Ali Sodhi agrees that the directives are issued keeping the safety of elderly in mind, she argues that with precautions in place, older actors should be allowed to resume work, too.

Even as shoots for TV and web projects have resumed, according to Maharashtra government’s guidelines, no cast and crew member above the age of 65 is to be allowed on the sets. And this has triggered a fresh debate about the livelihoods of senior actors.

Actor Nafisa Ali Sodhi recently returned to Delhi from Goa where she got stuck for last four months during the lockdown.

While actor Nafisa Ali Sodhi agrees that the directives are issued keeping the safety of elderly in mind, she argues that with precautions in place, older actors should be allowed to resume work, too.

“Right now, we’re going through unfortunate and difficult circumstances. If politicians in their 70s-80s are ruling the country and still doing a fine job, how can you target actors and tell them that you’re old and can’t act because you’ll get affected? Everyone’s getting affected, people across age groups. You can’t pick on 65-year-old’s, it’s not fair,” she rues.

Having said that the 63-year-old — who has just returned to Delhi from Goa where she got stuck the last four months during the lockdown — also feels that it may be a bit too soon to resume work in showbiz, especially after the spike in Covid cases.

Referring to her Major Saab (1998) co-star Amitabh Bachchan and his family who tested positive, Sodhi says, “I’d advice my whole industry that we have our icon and his whole family affected. We should take a leaf out of it and learn that we need to step back and wait a little longer. The time is not right yet.”

The actor-activist further reasons that shoots shouldn’t be allowed so soon because social distancing cannot be a reality on a set. “When we’re shooting, it’s all in a very closed condition. It’s okay if you’re shooting outside and maintaining a safe distance. But insides, everybody is in close contact — from the cameramen, to the lightmen, soundmen and of course, actors. Everybody is jumbled up together. It’s all too close for comfort. And once a person gets infected, everyone will have to get tested. It’s a chain,” she explains, urging everyone to not stigmatise those with the infection

“Some people are making rude remarks. People should not unnecessary criticise, and rather stand together as a nation to help,” she adds.

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