Yami Gautam opens up about the changes pandemic is bringing in the film industry

New Delhi: The fear of uncertainty has hit everyone hard as the world has come to a standstill due to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Actress Yami Gautam says she doesn't know when film shoots will resume because even after the lockdown is lifted, it doesn't look like COVID-19 will be contained.

How does she see the future of the entertainment industry post-pandemic and in what ways will the industry change? "Budgets are going to be reworked. Already the proposed films that most of us were to be part of, are looking at reworked budgets and mediums, with theatres being shut and with no idea when they'll open. Of course, the mid-budget films have an opportunity to opt for digital platforms," Yami said.

She says she is only being offered work that is set for the web space. "Films are coming my way with the proposal that it's for the digital platform. This shift is already happening. We don't know when we're going to resume shooting because even after the lockdown is lifted, it doesn't look like the coronavirus will be contained," she said.

Fresh guidelines and restrictions might be introduced, she stresses. "We will still have to follow protocols, precautions and the fresh guidelines of that time. We'll have to wait and watch. Safety is the most important thing. I don't think things will resume any time soon," she said.

With the economy going downwards, film budgets, too, take a hit. "Budgets, of course, are going to be curtailed and reworked, knowing that globally the economy is taking a hit. Content wise, I can hope that this is the time people are using to write films about good subjects and fresh concepts. I hope content wise we come out stronger," said the actress.

Amid lockdown, Yami, who currently staying without her family in Mumbai, is focusing more on her physical and mental health. "Fitness is not about vanity or looking fit. It's all about how healthy you are. More than physicality, it has a personal impact on your mental stability, which is important, especially in the situation we are in right now. It has become important to keep your sanity intact, to be fit and to be patient. All these things require a certain level of endurance, calmness and strength, especially when you are quarantined all by yourself," she added.

Yami continued: "I don't have any family member with me. It's just me and my house help at home. I have a certain routine. I wake up early in the morning. I start my day with yoga, for about an hour and 15 minutes, followed by fresh aloe vera juice. It's homegrown, so I know it's safe. I get ready. I'll read something or sketch something and it doesn't have to necessarily be posted on Instagram."

She spends time with her family members on video call. "I video call my mother, my sister, my brother and my father. Then I get on with cooking. I prepare meals for me and the house help. It's a deliberate thing. I got a chance to work on my cooking skills, which is something we all must know. It is also a mental activity," she summed up.