Maanvi Gagroo: Due to lockdowns, the habit of working’s gone. I’ve to push myself

“We are just waiting for shoots to restart,” says Maanvi Gagroo, who wants to return to the sets to shoot for her web show. But for now, the concerns about the third wave are keeping her at home for now. “Though things are under control, everyone is waiting and watching,” she feels.

The actor has started shooting for ads which require a day or two but nothing more than that. Last year after the unlock, she says, the team of Four More Shots Please season 3 had started shooting but had to stop mid-way due to the second lockdown.

“The second wave caught us all unawares. It is harder to stop midway which is why producers are being extra cautious now. They don’t want to start shoot and stop. That is harder in so many ways- not just expense and monetary loss but also a loss of momentum as when you start shoot, you get into the groove and to leave it midway is tough. To start from zero and build things is tougher each time,” she explains.

For Gagroo, the two lockdowns proved something to her that she was unaware of. “Because of two lockdowns, I don’t know if it is the case with others, but I speak for myself that my habit of working has disappeared. I have to push myself. The normalcy of lockdowns had worn off. Humans are funny, whatever you give us we want the other thing,” she says.

Talking about her experience, she reminisces, “I remember I was ecstatic when first lockdown happened as 2019 had been extremely busy. I had no time and was shooting back to back with no time for myself. So I was happy to stay at home, to get a break and not feel guilty about it. I got a bit bored too but I’d used my time in different ways and utilised the gift of time. So after first unlock, when we started working, I was like, ‘I don’t want to work just yet’. But when the second lockdown happened, I was like ‘I have run out of things to do’ (laughs) Now I can’t see anything positive about the lockdown. I have been there done that. But after the second unlock, I was ready. I never thought I would be sick of staying at home. It was too much. Bas ho gaya. I wanted to get back to the sets and get back to my normal life.”

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