The profound actress, highly qualified, intelligent Malavika Avinash from the day she was appointed as head of Task Force to look in to the Corona 19 virus relief work and aid for the people in many parts not taken good rest in 40 plus days.

She was leaving early morning and reaching home in the night. At home in the lock down situation ace actor Avinash was taking care of the child Master Galv.

See what Malavika Avinash has to say.

My life in the last six weeks has been only about Relief work & aid for the worst affected to the Covid19 national lockdown. I don’t know whether to feel fortunate for having had the

opportunity to serve the nation during an unprecedented crisis such as this or to feel unfortunate for having met hunger, helplessness & poverty at such close quarters. Now, with the migrants leaving and economic activity slowly limping back to normalcy, my thoughts invariably are about the plight of my own fraternity...the classical artists, folk artists & craftsmen, theatre persons and all those with temples at the centre of their lives are those left behind...and will be for a long time to come.

The migrant/construction workers,daily wagers from fruit vendors to auto-rickshaw drivers Or those working in large corporates or in other businesses will don a mask, keeping washing their hands and resume work. What will the artist do? You can possible wear a mask and sing or dance or act? Even if you do who is your audience? No social gatherings, no collectives of men & women at an auditorium, no temple fairs or festivals, small or large gatherings, no weddings...Every arena where an artist gets to perform is taken away! Worse still is that fact that culture & tourism are Inseperable, interdependent partners. With no tourism, what Konark or Khajuraho or Hampi festival can you have? Visits of dignitaries, foreign tours...all gone??? I know of artists who rose to the occasion attempting to get immediate relief or aid as a reaction to the lockdown! That is much appreciated but our lives unlike all others in society won’t revert as theirs will...

We were the first ones to be locked out remember? Even before the lockdown in February...?!And our lockdown won’t end long after the others!! Perhaps for another 6months or maybe a year, not until social distancing remains the only solution...not until a vaccine is found! Now that thought is mind boggling because along with us are those archakas, those vendors & all those dependent on temple activity for their livelihood/lives! Those teaching might still get beyond online classes and begin physical ones, once the schools re-open but what happens to those who know nothing but to sing, dance or act? Those with no sprawling lawns or artistically decorated halls at home?


That folk artist in a village who can’t do a facebook live or an online performance, who doesn’t know W of wifi? That amazing violist in an orchestra who thrives on shows & weddings to perform? Theatre? How do you do an online performance without a bunch of people getting together? How do you shoot for television or films without donning a mask?! Covid19 is a virus that’s not infected but affected every single artist, especially Vrutti Kalavidaru-for those whose livelihood/lives are no separate from their art...Let’s be sensitive and start having a constructive discussion for rebuilding, for sustenance of the artist for his art to sustain...above for the nation all to be able to breathe the arts again!

I for one, have started making small attempts at facilitating conversations between groups of artists & the Govt...please feel free to discuss, dialogue to take it further!