Actor Mahasweta banks on nature-watching & cooking to see through lockdown days

Arunika Mohapatra | TNN | Updated: Apr 22, 2020, 14:22 IST

File photo of actor Mahasweta Ray

BHUBANESWAR: Waking up to the call of cuckoos and sighting a parrot right outside the window can only be a dream for a Mumbaikar, but it is now the reality of actor Mahasweta Ray, confined as she is to her apartment in Andheri (West) with her husband and son.
The cacophony of the city has given way to silence and fear. “It took some time for the change to sink in. But slowly, the pollution cleared. It is as if nature has bloomed again after being forcibly caged in by the world for ages,” said Mahasweta, who takes pleasure in viewing the carpet of flowers under a tree near her home.
Her positivity is endearing, particularly with Covid-19 spreading fast in Mumbai. There have been two corona-related deaths in her housing complex, and several residents are infected. “Our society has been shut completely. Vegetables are supplied from 7 am to 10 am at the gates. I am getting my groceries from some known shopkeepers but not everything I want is available,” said the actor.
She got an early taste of the lockdown when she landed in Mumbai from Bhubaneswar on March 24. “There were only eight people on the flight. The airport was deserted. I had to walk quite a distance before I could get a taxi,” said Mahasweta.
The actor is making the most of whatever food is available at home. Starting from masala khichdi and aloo tikkis to Chinese and Mughlai, her kitchen has now transformed into a master-class for her son. “I once innovated with butter chicken and he cooked dal makhani,” said the indulgent mother, who spends time watching television with her family.
Mahasweta was part of a YouTube video on Covid-19, ‘Puni Hasiba Odisha’, made by Ollywood stars. She has also launched her own YouTube channel to give expression to her creativity. “I intend to post videos on health, cooking and poetry,” said Mahasweta, who has been associated with film-making for 44 years.
An alumni of Sri Aurobindo International School, Pondicherry, Mahasweta is currently reading the Odia translation of Sri Aurobindo’s, “Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol”, by Mahapatra Nilamani Sahoo. Despite being busy, Mahasweta is missing out on her evening walks though she is making up for it with pranayama, stretching and spot jogging.