The Happiness Quotient Should Be Really High: Raveena Tandon
Tell us what you saw and did in the last seven weeks to help people in this Covid crisis?
I have seen the best and the worst of humanity. I think the best more so; the best kind of outweighed the worst. Crisis is when you realise that you can rise to the occasion. Otherwise, everyone is very complacent about things and only hear news which is not happy most of the time. I have seen so many people become heroes overnight. That is so completely fantastic — to see people reaching out to each other without bothering about their means.
What are the thoughts that came to you in these times of crisis and how have they changed you as a human being?
Luckily for me, I do say I am fortunate. I believe that people who are kind are fortunate people on the planet. If they can feel for another person, then they can feel what life is all about. I am lucky that my upbringing taught me to be kind and compassionate. So helping and reaching out to people did come naturally to me and I did as much as I could. We felt almost what probably doctors and medical staff feel – they lose a patient but they know they have to reboot themselves for another patient.
The impact of Covid on children has been tremendous. What do you think can be done so that children are safe both from a mental and emotional standpoint?
First and foremost, not only for children but for everyone, the advice is to stay at home and go out only if it is an emergency. India has just battled the second wave, and now there are reports that there is going to be a third wave. I feel bad for the small children who are growing up in this environment and not actually getting to bond or mix and learn how to grow up with other children. I think this has taken a toll on the kids around us.
It is very important to keep our children engaged and keep talking to them — communication at this point is very necessary. Right now it’s important for families to stay together and do things together.
In the last 15 and a half months, OTTs have accelerated and there is a debate that cinema halls may cease to exist. What is your view?
My husband is one of the leading distributors in this country. I will second what he said: Anil (Anil Thadani is Tandon’s husband) believes the minute everything will open, people will throng the theatre. Unfortunately, in our cities we don’t have the kind of gardens and parks or other recreational centres where people can go for recreation. So, it is either malls or theatres. People will definitely go back to theatres — there are no two ways about it. Right now, their survival is the most difficult part.
How are you able to maintain your fitness and wellbeing in these times?
I think the first and foremost is that the happiness quotient should be really high. One has to keep busy with one’s family and children and do things that one enjoys doing. It is very necessary to keep yourself physically fit.
