Bhumi: Time we understand what we have put our planet through

BY AHANA BHATTACHARYA 

Mumbai, May 25 Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar feels natural calamities such as the super cyclone Amphan are a warning for humanity to understand “what we have put our planet through”.

“I have been seeing videos from Kolkata and Odisha for the last two days and it is heartbreaking. It honestly is very scary! It went on for so many hours! I have seen blog posts with videos of the cyclone and it is so very unnerving. Houses have been damaged, huge trees have been uprooted, it is a major loss to humankind and to animals,” Bhumi told IANS.

“I think it’s high time that humanity understands what we have put our planet through. If you see in the last five years, the frequency of cyclones, the strength of cyclonic winds and typhoons are only going to keep increasing. Our cities are drying up, the earth is heating up at a crazy speed,” the actress added.

Bhumi is also a “Climate Warrior” as also mentioned on her Instagram profile. The actress is actively working to spread the word about the importance of preserving nature and about the imminent dangers of climate change.

“Today, already the world is going through a major refugee crisis. In the next few years, we are going to have refugees because of climatic change. Millions and millions of people will be displaced irrespective of how rich or poor they are. It doesn’t matter, in front of nature’s wrath we all are one. I really hope humanity wakes up. The planet is our home and we have to learn to coexist with every single species that exists on earth. Why do human beings feel their invincible? We share our planet with millions of other species but we feel haq sirf hamara hai (only we have a right on the planet) and that is ridiculous!” Bhumi expressed.

The actress feels it is her responsibility to spread the word and she is ready to do that whichever way she can. Asked, if she would like to take up movies that deliver a message regarding preserving nature, Bhumi replied: “Absolutely! I will do whatever it takes to spread the message and bring about a change. This is something I am very passionate about. This is something I really believe in and it gives me sleepless nights.”

On the personal front, Bhumi feels “fortunate” to be able to spend the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic lockdown at home with her family.

“I feel very fortunate that I have a roof over my head and I am with people I love and people that matter to me in such difficult times. Last four years, my life has been very crazy. I am barely in Mumbai. I haven’t had a chance to be in Mumbai for more than 10 days at a stretch. It is good in a way even though it came at a very heavy cost. But yes, it feels good to spend time with my family,” shared the actress.

What does Bhumi do to keep herself busy at home amid the lockdown? “I keep doing things like baking a cake. I’m a moody cook you know! I am using this time to just detoxify myself from everything. There is no agenda, there is no timetable, there is no schedule. I am literally doing things as I like! It’s quite nice!” signed off the actress.