MUMBAI: Actor Sucheeta Trivedi, who is part of the show Indiawaali Maa, says that this year has been tough on everyone. While being at home during the lockdown was challenging, she adds that it was a great learning experience as well. “The whole experience of the lockdown was the realization that we can live simple and we don't need much like too many clothes, too many cars, too many shoes etc. The whole realisation of us being self-sufficient and we can live simple with our family is what this period taught us. The kind of time that I spent with my family, I never had before with them, since so many years. The time that I spent with my in-laws and my own parents is what I will cherish the most forever,” she says. 

 The actor was also saddened to see her peers go through major financial problems this year as shootings and shows were put on halt. “For me, the most disappointing moment of this year would be the news coming from our industry about actors who couldn't make it to their hospital care because of lack of personal funds. That was extremely heartbreaking and very frightening for me. I am not saying that bad times don't come, they come in everyone's life, but it’s so sad when you have a great career and you have a busy life but you did not save for such times, when you have to pull out a great sum of money for illnesses,” she says.

 Ask her how she kept herself positive during this period, and she says that she made sure to find out all there was to Covid -19. This helped her to be optimistic. “I firstly did a lot of research about Coronavirus and I tried my utmost not to panic. I tried diverting myself and things and be as positive as I could. Because this disease is unknown and we have never something like this before. So, I researched well, I exercised, I kept my immunity high and kept myself busy with work and concentrated on preparing for my character, Kaku, for Indiawaali Maa,” she says.

 In fact, she learnt some new skills as well during this time. “Apart from my daily routine like cleaning and cooking which I have always been doing, I learnt some household chores like how to make traditional pickles, from my mother-in-law. I learnt to dry those special material sarees like zardozi Sarees in the heat of the sun in summers so that they don't get spoiled easily and many more such things during the lockdown and would continue doing it further,” she says.  

 For Sucheeta, taking care of her health and getting a new show were the highlights for her year. “The biggest achievement for me, this year, was to keep my family healthy and safe. My show Indiawaali Maa which started shooting during the Pandemic time. It got started in such a scenario where the economy had reached a standstill but this show gave a lot the economy and helped many people in such hard times. Also, we had a constant scare as we are a big team and unit and we made sure we were following every precaution with utmost care and hygiene. Touchwood till now, there has been no such case on our set and I am glad about it. Specially during Diwali, everybody went back home smiling because people knew they are going to get money to run their homes!” she says. 

Talking about her future plans, she says, “After this serial, I would want to do something on OTT like a web series or something. Right now, the focus is only Indiawaali Maa because it consumes a lot of time to shoot. The shoot goes on for 30 days a month but I am very keen on doing a web series or a film next. Also, if I get time after Indiawaali Maa before another project comes in hand, I would want to join my husband and help him with designing homes as part of his new project. He is creating exclusive, sustainable luxury second homes," she says.