We have stopped respecting nature: Pankaj Tripathi on COVID-19

From reading books, spending time with his daughter to to making 'daal' in different ways, life has suddenly stopped being dictated by the clock for actor Pankaj Tripathi, who is taking a break due to the coronavirus lockdown.

One of the busiest actors in Bollywood right now, Tripathi said the isolation period has made him view nature differently and why respecting it is the only hope for humanity.

"I am relaxing, reading books like one on Nargis Dutt called 'Darling Ji', 'Indian Method in Acting' by Prasanna, reading my daughter's geography book. I am doing all those things I was unable to do earlier due to my busy schedule.

"I was not getting the time to rest so now I get up a little late as I don't have a 7 am shift. As I am not going to work, sometimes I am unaware about time, day and date. Earlier, life moved according to the time," he told PTI in an interview here.

The actor said he gets to sit by the window and watch the sunset, which is not always possible.

"I didn't know that I can see a beautiful sunset from my house but now I see it every day, I had never seen such clear and beautiful sky in the last 10 years, I can see the stars shining now. I believe we all have stopped respecting nature as human beings. We are today using nature as a tool to just click a selfie so that we can post it on Instagram," he said.

Tripathi said it is important for everyone to plant a tree.

"I am sure we will overcome this (coronavirus) as the world has witnessed many such pandemics before. But it is time we start respecting nature," he said.

"Out of 130 crore of the Indian population not even 120 crore of them would have planted trees. It should be made mandatory for every person to plant a tree.

"If you don't have land of your own, one can get in touch with an NGO instead of gifting bouquets and plants. We believe oxygen and water come for free and rains also come automatically. Going ahead we all have to be careful."
"They are fine. There are not many people living there so they are, as it is, maintaining social distancing. I wasn't getting time to go there because of my packed schedule. This time I was thinking about visiting my parents as there were no shoots happening. But now due to lockdown, I can't."
"As a responsible citizen, we should follow the lockdown and I urge everyone that this is the fight we all should win by sitting at home and maintaining hygiene. Precaution is the only cure for this epidemic."