We took one day at a time: Urvashi Rautela on shooting in Ukraine

Actor Urvashi Rautela, who was shooting for her upcoming Tamil film in Ukraine’s Kiev and Odesa, flew back to India two days before Russia declared war on Ukraine on February 21. “While we were shooting, there was a lot of tension between both the countries. But we took one day at a time. When I landed in Ukraine, my brother was really scared for me,” she tells us, adding, “My father also flew to Ukraine for work. Though scared, I had a sense of security thinking that he was also there.”

The simmering political tension between both the nations brought about a halt in the shoot and forced the crew to return home. The actor, 28, says, “We were supposed to meet the Prime Minister of Ukraine (Denys Shmyhal). But we had to cancel the plan because of the ongoing crisis. I was supposed to do a musical collaboration with Ukrainian musician Monatik, too.”

While her family heaved a sigh of relief upon her return to India, she says she can’t help but be concerned about the fatalities caused and the fear with which people are living in Ukraine: “I’m praying hard for the situation there. It’s really terrifying. I’ve friends and family there and I constantly keep checking on them.”

The value of peace holds a deeper meaning for the actor, as she grew up in a family where two of her uncles are part of the Indian army. “Mothers don’t give life to their kids so that they can die in a war. War isn’t the answer and there’s nothing uglier than that. When I think of the families that are suffering, I can’t stop thinking about the futility of war,” Rautela ends.