Niharika Lyra Dutt: I am itching to get back on to the stage after lockdown ends

Actor Niharika Lyra Dutt is looking at the lockdown as a two-way thing. On one hand, she realises that it was much-needed to curb the spread of Covid-19. This is also the period when her web show, Paatal Lok, dropped and garnered eyeballs.

She feels that the show benefited from it. “The fact is people are in the lockdown and sitting at home. Maybe if the lockdown wasn’t there, the show wouldn’t have been watched so avidly, people wouldn’t have been able to take out seven hours of their day to binge watch it. The word of mouth maybe would’ve been slower. Because of it, so many people watched and it spread faster. I can only count my lucky stars right now,” says the 30-year-old, who played the role of a journalist in the show. 

Currently holed up inside her sister’s house in Madh Island, Mumbai, Dutt says quite a lot has kept her busy, and she has no complaints.

“In the beginning, being the lazy Bengali that I am, it was good being with my sister. Honestly, we got all supplies comfortably, we had the AC to beat the heat, we were able to order food when we felt hungry, there was nothing to complain about,” she says, adding that she’s thankful for she was working on other projects which kept her creatively engaged.

“Also, I tried to learn to play the guitar. I’m now itching to get back on to the stage.” she adds.

Besides basking in the glory of her web show, Dutt has come to realise quite a few things, about her life.

“When you are out there, you’re running from one project to another, juggling so many balls in the air together. Being at home, at one place, slows you to align yourself, streamline your day. There’s more research and reading happening. Otherwise, you just keep roaming around like a headless chicken. Coming back home and finding time for yourself is required.” 

Her family, meanwhile, is happy with the reviews she has got for her performance in Pataal Lok. Her father (Avijit Dutt) himself is an actor. “They’re incredible proud of me. My father is the one who introduced me to theatre, my parents always knew I was into this. They’re my worst critics, along with my sister, also a filmmaker. When they say my performance is really good, it feels good,” she says.