Kratika Sengar: Hearing bad news everywhere is taking a toll on my mental health

The current situation amid the second wave of Covid-19 is of course difficult to deal with, but for actor Kratika Sengar, it became even tougher when she had to stay away from her family.

In Delhi until recently to shoot for her show, the actor is now back in Mumbai, however, the overall experience during the pandemic has been full of apprehensions.

“This year is more difficult. Last year, we were just scared of Covid and because of that we were all following rules, locked up inside our houses. Now people think, ‘Ek saal ho gaya, kya ho jaayega’. They didn’t understand this year it’s worse. I’m hearing bad news from everywhere, it’s taking a toll on my mental health. I’m just praying every second,” she tells us.

The 34-year-old, who has been a part of shows such as Jhansi Ki Rani and Kasam, adds that she missed her family a lot while she was away for work.

“This was my first outdoor shoot. Jhansi Ki Rani had been shot in Karjat, but we all were there and I was also not married then. But this time, when I’d come back to my room (post the day’s shoot), I used to miss my husband, family and my dog,” she admits.

While there are actors who chose not to accompany their show’s team to a new location, for Sengar — despite all difficulties and concerns — it was a matter of “professionalism” that she couldn’t back out of the show, when it shifted from Mumbai to Delhi owing to the lockdown there.

Sengar elaborates, “Being professional took precedence. The experience of shooting wasn’t very nice, as there was always this fear that anybody could be carrying the virus. Being an actor, you can’t even wear mask (during a shot), it’s the first thing you remove on set. So, we’re exposed the most. Then there are junior artists and local people around. We know what condition Delhi is in. There were a lot of risks involved. I was apprehensive but I had taken up the show, and was committed. So, I couldn’t say no.”