Video calls are becoming the new normal: Mandana Karimi

The actor says that being locked down is a strange feeling

“I live alone in Mumbai, so talking to people is a necessity during this lockdown,” says Mandana Karimi, who chats with fans, friends and her family during the day. “It is a strange experience to be locked down. I was shooting in Mumbai for the last two months and was barely home and suddenly, I am home [all the time],” Karimi adds.

Her daily routine begins at 6am when she walks her dogs. On returning, she “sanitises” them and herself, before they sit down to eat and sleep again. “On waking up, I plan the day’s meals followed by cleaning. I am a good cook, so that is not a problem, but staying with no one around is tough. Having a routine helps, and right now, it is all about survival. I have to manage my food, stay healthy and get some exercise too,” Karimi says and adds, “People living with their family may get bored at times, as they have a lot of free time. But I keep busy so as not to over think about the situation. And post 11pm, I get sleepy.”

Talking about the situation back home in Iran, where the “health system isn’t great”, she says, “The numbers are high there and they don’t get enough medical support.” Her family and friends have been in lockdown for two months now in Iran. She shares, “The beauty of being human is that we manage to figure out things to our advantage. So, chatting with people via video calls is the new normal for us. Instead of being sad, disappointed or fearful, one should find a way to deal with the situation in a calm manner. Panicking or stressing out won’t help.”