'I'm not a doctor, but whatever we did was very basic and organic.'
Purab Kohli recently shot a film, London Confidential in London -- about another virus after coronavirus spreading across the India-China border.
"It's a spy mystery, where a R&AW team is trying to get hold of a mole in the system," he tells Subhash K Jha.
"I play one of the R&AW agents Arjun and like his name, he reflects the qualities of the great Arjuna. We did not shoot during the lockdown, but we were one of the first productions to start shooting once the lockdown was lifted in London."
What was it like shooting in such times?
"It's a new world we are working in now, with so many COVID regulations to keep, the shooting set is a safe environment for us. From weekly tests to precautions taken to how many people can gather to work together... I have to admit it is hard, but I guess it has to be done."
Purab, who has films like Rock On, My Brother... Nikhil to his credit, was diagnosed with COVID-19 along with his family in April.
"It felt like a regular flu and I didn't believe we had it until we started talking to the GP (general practitioner), which was on day six. We found out that someone we knew and were in contact with got serious with the infection and was taken to hospital. By then, I was already better."
While Purab and the kids had it mild, his British wife Lucy was more intensely infected.
"My wife was hit little harder and was feeling low even on day eight. So those couple of days was a little worrying. But once she got full rest, she fought it off and recovered."
What is Purab's advice for those infected?
"I'm not a doctor, but whatever we did was very basic and organic," he says. "Haldi, ginger, honey mixes to soothe the throat."
"I gave my wife kadha, home remedies that my mother gave us when we had fever during childhood. The idea is to give the body as much rest as possible because this virus can sap your energy."
"My wife felt drained out until the ninth day of the infection while I was weak until the seventh. You could also have difficulty breathing while sleeping."
"A hot water bottle on the chest really helps. Besides these simple remedies, just stay calm. Don't panic."
