Lockdown has given me family time that I really needed: Tanya Hope

Actress and former Miss India finalist, Tanya Hope has been working non-stop for the past few years, across the Telugu, Kannada and Tamil industries. Her schedule either had her on set or chilling with her close friends. This lockdown is the longest that she’s been home in a while. Tanya was happy to tell us about her new routine at home and the lessons that the pandemic has taught her... What’s the lockdown been like for you?

Confusing. There are some days when I am very productive and there are other days when I don’t get out of bed. It feels like we are living a nightmare and wake up to horrible news each day. There are days when I feel extremely negative, but I am lucky that I have my family with me. They pull me out of that frame of mind.

For many, finding a home routine and sticking to it has been difficult. What about you?

Since I am with my family, which includes my brother and his sons, I home school my nephew. I take English class for him. After I started teaching him, I felt like I am contributing. So, that really helped me.

Do you miss being at work? Before the lockdown, work was my escape. I’ve been working every single day since 2016. When I am not working, I feel weird. My mum tells me that this time is good for me, as I get to relax. But I miss everything about being on set. Playing these roles has been therapy for me.

Your friends and colleagues are active on social media. But you aren’t...

There are times when I post something on Instagram and then just delete it. I use it to promote work. When there’s nothing to promote, I don’t use social media, as it scares me. I’m not sure why.

Being an outdoorsy person, how hard has it been to remain indoors?

The lockdown has forced me to calm down. It has given me family time that I really needed. We’ve bonded so much; I’ve never had this kind of a close relationship with them. I really appreciate that.

But with everything that’s happening around us, you look at life differently. You prioritise again. There’s more to life than working yourself into the ground. I’ve begun evaluating things again. I could never hold on to my thoughts earlier. Now, I’m trying to meditate and centre myself.