The pandemic was therapy for me: Eijaz Khan

Eijaz Khan talks about his experiences during the lockdown and how a dog saved him

All through the lockdown actor Eijaz Khan was alone in his flat in Mumbai. He says the pandemic had a huge effect on him, as it “clamped” him in a shell and forced him “to confront demons” in his head.

Eijaz feels it will be difficult to go back to normal.

“There should be counselling for people, as many might have had extreme experiences during the lockdown. Now, it will be difficult to go back to normal. In the first month, I cried a lot over things like migrant labourers walking back home and I would feel guilty about having basic stuff. The pandemic forced me to delve into myself and it was the best therapy that I didn’t pay for. There were many lows, too, and I am a private person so opening up is tough. I became disillusioned, wouldn’t eat for eight hours, and ended up scrolling through social media for hours. It seemed like the lockdown wouldn’t end soon,” he says.

 

The Bhram actor then set a routine for himself which included calling friends and family daily, relying on neighbours for food, and though he isn’t “that religious”, Khan prayed five times a day. “It was a revelation for me that praying felt like meditation. I used to think that praying was one of the pillars of Islam but I continued post lockdown as it gives me peace of mind,” he shares.

What also helped the actor, he admits, is being a foster pet parent. He lost two of his pets in a span of a year and when he heard about pets being abandoned, he decided to foster. “I got a female dog called Blossom, which was a first for me. When I brought her home, she was in a bad shape. She had been tied on the highway for two weeks, had maggots all over her body and had trust issues. She needed tough love but in reality, she saved me. Taking care of her helped me through the past few months,” he concludes.