Coping with the Corona - Writing poems to watching old classics, this is what Tollywood is up to during lockdown

Director Venu Udugula, Sundeep Kishan, and Adivi Sesh share how they are spending this coronavirus-forced 'me time' 
Coping with the Corona - Writing poems to watching old classics, this is what Tollywood is up to during lockdown

It is safe to say that almost the entire world is brought to a standstill because of this coronavirus pandemic, and on top of the damage it is causing to the world economy, it is also taking a toll on our mental health as humans are forced to be at their homes. As we are losing touch with our daily routines, the lockdown has forced us to adopt new habits. Telugu celebrities are no exception as this virus is nondiscriminatory. We spoke Venu Udugula, Advi Sesh, and Sundeep Kishan to know how they are handling these tough times. 

Venu Udugula, director

“I have been writing poetry from 2009 and some of my poems have been published in popular Telugu dailies during the last decade. The last two years, however, have been hectic owing to the production of my upcoming directorial, Virataparvam. This lockdown period has allowed me again to write poems, and a lot of them are about my experiences. It is a dream of mine to publish an anthology of my poems. I am now working towards a collection of 25 poems and planning to bring them out in the form of a book after the lockdown ends.

This time has also allowed to read many books, including writer Tallavajhula Sivaji's Tripada, K Balagopal’s Anachivetha-Anachivetha Chattalu, and some Russian classics. I am also catching up on some films I missed, and some new web series.

Sundeep Kishan, Actor

“It feels like I am reliving life from the 90s. I am trying to learn new skills and get better in many areas I’m already familiar with. I am also focussed on improving my health, and learning more about the benefits of eating food with less oil. This time has also allowed me to experiment with different cuisines.

On the film front, I am watching old Telugu classics, and analysing how filmmaking has evolved over the years. I also like to watch a lot of streaming content, and recently rewatched my all-time favourite series, Entourage. I also really enjoyed Netlifx's Messiah and Amazon Prime's The Boys.

I am also listening to narrations on FaceTime and looking forward to getting back to work. I think I am doing a universal case study during this lockdown (laughs).  

Adivi Sesh, Actor

It's important to maintain good personal hygiene and remain self-isolated during these times. This is a global shut down and I guess on the personal front, it can be seen as an opportunity to complete pending work. Originally, I wanted to make some important announcements about my upcoming film, Major, on Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan's birth anniversary (March 15) but had to postpone it due to the virus outbreak.

I am spending much of my time watching the footage of what we shot for Major, and preparing a plan for upcoming shooting schedules. Alongside, I’m also reading a book, exercising, and hooked to OTTs and re-watching old classics. 

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