Independence Day 2020: From Divyanka Tripathi to Asha Negi, TV Celebs Decode Freedom in the Times of COVID-19

Independence Day this year is certainly unlike any ever, since 1947. For the first time, people will not gather in crowds to raise the Tricolour together or sing the National Anthem in chorus. In the era of Covid-induced social distancing, celebration is an individual affair. Like everyone else, Bollywood celebrities, too, are keeping this in mind. So, what does freedom mean in the era of lockdown? We asked a few tele-celebrities. "The pandemic induced lockdown has redefined the meaning of freedom. To me, the new meaning of freedom would be the ability to adjust to new circumstances and to feel free from within, and be productive and positive," said Tusshar Kapoor. Independence Day 2020: From Manoj Bajpayee’s 1971 To Deepika Padukone’s Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey, 5 Underrated Patriotic Films

"In its truest essence, freedom now is to have the security of being able to enjoy a good life with our families, stay connected with our loved ones, work from home and be independent irrespective of external factors. Above all, we must learn from the pandemic to lead our lives in a minimalistic manner and embrace the idea of less being more, paying attention to cleanliness and safety. This will not only help us individually but collectively as well," added the actor. Actress Divyanka Tripathi, who played Chef Nitya in "Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala", wants to travel freely and added that the definition of freedom has changed as everyone is under house arrest. Payal Ghosh Distributes Sanitisers, Masks to the Needy Along with Indian Flags Ahead of Independence Day 2020

"The definition of freedom has definitely changed, especially, this year, as all of us are confined to our homes, trying to be safe and utterly careful. We don't have the freedom that we used to enjoy earlier in terms of travelling carefree, working at our will and in general being the way we want," she said. "On the other hand, it has also changed us positively. We are becoming independent in terms of handling our own chores. Before this, mostly all Indians were dependent on their house-helps but now we are learning how to manage between our work and household activities.

Now we value everything that we took for granted in the past. I would like to be free of travel restrictions this year. Travelling to new destinations or to our parents' houses (in Bhopal and Chandigarh) comforts my soul. Need to do that soon to maintain my sanity," she added. Actress Asha Negi, who played Gauravi in "Baarish", talked about the importance of women's safety and the need for women to have the liberty of choosing what is good for them.

"I think that people these days, are no longer afraid of voicing their opinions of what they truly think and believe in. No one is afraid of anything, anymore, about expressing their thoughts. Society has become far more liberal, as people are vocal about their beliefs and speaking about it freely and openly. As far as freedom is concerned, the women for this country need to feel safe at all times. Many of us still don't have the choice to wear what we want to or pursue our dreams. We are in 2020, and we definitely need freedom from these issues," she pointed out. Actress Suchitra Pillai feels the definition of freedom has definitely changed this year because everybody "feels jailed to be very frank".

"That's the word that people would use to describe the past five months. It's been very tough on people especially somebody like me who is extremely hyperactive and likes to be spent time outdoors most of the time. What one wants when they say they want to be free is that they should be able to walk in fresh air and open space without a worry in the world," she said. She feels the definition of freedom for anybody these days is definitely just to be able to walk in fresh air and open spaces. "One thing that I would want to get rid of at the very earliest is the free time at my disposal. I want that to go away so that I can start looking for more work," she said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2020 12:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).