With the pandemic still raging and the lockdown period extended till the end of this month, we are again stuck at home. Having ticked off most of the movies from our must-watch list during last lockdown and with not much new content releasing on the OTT that frequently, this might be a good time to use the time for something more productive and learn new skills. Celebs tells us how they are enjoying surfing the net and finding interesting international courses on the online space.
Meera Deosthale
“I took two online classes during the lockdown. One was kickboxing and the second was belly dancing. The kickboxing classes were a good way to do cardio and strength training while learning some self-defence moves. I think every girl or woman should at least know the basics of self-defence and what can be better than learning it in the comfort of your own home. And as far as belly dancing goes, I was always amazed how beautifully some woman can do it, and believe me, it's no joke, it takes a lot of hard work and patience to learn it. I am still not a pro at it but believe me it has given me so much confidence and it's a great stress buster.”
Mrunal Jain
“I took up online meditation classes during the lockdown. The best part of signing up for it was that I was able to learn it at my own pace. There was no rush, and I could do it in the favourite corner of my house. It has helped me become more focused and stress free. Also, I don't know about others, but my attention span has increased, and I tend to remember things more than I used to do earlier.”
Priya Banerjee
“Last year, around the same time, I did a few Spanish and cooking classes. I had picked Spanish as I love Spanish movies and have always wanted to learn the language, and cooking because I’m a foodie. They were not time consuming and quite fun. They were on apps so it’s up to you on how much time you want to spend on them each day. However, this year, I have refrained to do so. With the grimness of the situation all around, everything seems to be extremely depressing. People don’t have oxygen to breath and India is genuinely going through a tough time so nothing quite seems apt other than using the social media to help people as much as I can.”
Taha Shah Badussha
“The most interesting course I have taken during the lockdown is my filmmaking and lighting course. It teaches you all aspects of filmmaking from drafting a screenplay to story boarding to camera movement / frame composition etc. I’ve always had it in my heart to direct a film one day. However, I never got the chance to educate myself. This seemed like a time I could utilise and grow. I’m glad I took the initiative and it’s paying off. My main challenges were to first get it into my routine and make it a habit. Then the challenge was to understand the terminology that they spoke in... and the challenges kept coming. That’s why I love it. Thanks to the course, I’m able to understand and pick up all the instructions happening around me on set in a better way. Another perk is that it has made me very curious and hungry for more knowledge. And now I’m writing my script!”
Karanvir Sharma
“During the last lockdown, I started with online guitar classes to invest my time in the betterment of myself. Music is something that really changes and uplifts my mood. Also, I wanted to learn the guitar since a long time but my busy shoot schedules never allowed me so the lockdown was the right time. Initially, I bruised my fingers. But if one wants to learn then there is no challenge that’s big enough. Every step that we move forward while learning is a new challenge. Playing music brings in an aura of positivity around in tough times like these and you can also show off your skills to everyone!”
