Visiting Amazon and catching a cinema: Things Sanjay Manjrekar would do in a Covid-free world

Sanjay Manjrekar (Image: Sanjay Manjrekar/Twitter)

Note to readers: While we accept the reality of the coronavirus, it is important to be optimistic. We must believe that there will be a day when the disease will no longer be the all-destroying scourge it is today. And when that day comes, we will be able to enjoy life, maybe with a few adjustments, the way we did before COVID-19. To that end, we are starting ‘If Covid Vanished ...’, a series of interviews with corporate heads and achievers, where we ask them where they’d like to travel or eat, who’d they like to meet, and so on, if the world became Corona-mukt.

As a player, Sanjay Manjrekar bit bullets on the way to scoring centuries against the dangerous West Indian and Pakistani bowling attacks of the 1980s. But a Malcom Marshall missile is a visible enemy. The coronavirus is a covert menace that has brought the world to a depressing halt. Beyond his commitments as a cricket commentator and columnist, Manjrekar is a music, cinema and food lover.

In this interview with moneycontrol.com, the 55-year-old talks about the things he’d do if the threat of the Coronavirus diminished.

If Covid ended tomorrow or became easily manageable, which city would you like to travel first?

I have travelled so much that I don’t miss travelling even in lockdown. The whole airport thing can get depressing after a point. But while I don’t miss work travel, I do enjoy holidays and have a bucket list. I like wildlife and I’m planning to visit the Amazon basin and a few other parts of South America next year with my friends.

Which restaurant/ bar would you go to first?

‘By the Mekong’, right on top of St Regis, Mumbai. It has massive windows and a view of the city. And it’s a short drive away.

Which famous person would you throw your doors open to for a chat?

Unfortunately, that person is no longer alive. I can only dream. It’s Kishore Kumar. I would touch his feet. Next option would be somebody who has worked with Kishore Kumar. Somebody like Gulzar. He would have great stories about their time because they created some magic together.

What public performance/ occasion would you like to attend?

I love watching movies on the big screen. Sitting in a cool theatre with popcorn and a bottle of water, with a nice movie about to begin, is a blissful experience for me.

What group activity would you like to participate in?

I love going for dinners with families and friends or asking people to come over.

What new skill would you like to learn?

Understand the craft of acting, what it is that great actors do. I’m fascinated by acting and how actors bring something alive. I don’t want to act myself. I just want to know more about the skill. There’s many actors I like. Jessica Chastain is one among them.

Sanjay Manjrekar (Image: Sanjay Manjrekar/Twitter)

The first song that comes to mind when you think of a Covid free world?

(Singing) Musafir hoon yaro. Because it’s picturized that way (a bird flying in wide open skies and the protagonist riding in a horse-pulled ‘tonga’)

What bad habit will you work on eliminating?

Binge eating. Food as entertainment is my problem. When I’m consuming entertainment, I also need food with it. It’s a double whammy. Terrible. Just terrible.

Also Read: Interview | This IPL could be low-scoring but there will be no drop in intensity, says Sanjay Manjrekar

What will you do with your masks?

I have continued my running and fitness routine. And there’s one mask that feels comfortable even while working out. I have grown attached to it. I will keep it as a remembrance.

What would your life motto be after the pandemic?

At my age, my motto is always to pamper myself. I feel I have done all my duties. And now I want to pamper myself, which I’m trying to tell my family every day. This year has been a hindrance in that regard. I want to make every day count.