Nidhhi Agerwal on doing Covid relief work: No point to me being an actor if I can’t help people

Actor Nidhhi Agerwal has seen her family members battling Covid-19 up and close. And that’s what prompted her to come up with an initiative to help people in need during this health crisis.

“Usually, when people are sick, you go and help them, but Covid is such that you cannot be around them, but help from a distance. I think that hit me. Some people have nobody to go out and buy things for them, nobody to make any food… so looking at all of that, I thought let me do whatever I can do,” the actor tells us.

The Munna Michael (2017) actor adds that as public figures, it becomes one’s duty to step up in difficult times such as these.

“I feel there is no point to me being an actor and having any kind of say, if I cannot help people at a time like this. I felt a certain kind of responsibility, that I need to do something today in my own capacity,” admits the 27-year-old.

She then came up with an initiative called Distribute Love — an online platform where people can fill a form, their requirements, and then her team verifies the request.

“We check if the person or their family are infected by Covid, and then provide them with essentials, free of cost. As of now, I’m paying for everything. We haven’t started taking any donations yet. But seeing the number of requests, we might have to start asking others for help,” she shares.

Not just essentials, the actor and her team are helping with other Covid-19 related issues, too.

“I have a young team who’s eager to help people. So, whether someone needs groceries, and don’t have the money, or even like a basic medical check up, we help them. Many daily wage workers don’t have money to buy medicines, we started by helping people with that, too,” she ends.