Coronavirus Outbreak: Vivek Agnihotri to sell his paintings and raise money

Covid-19 has created not just a health emergency but a financial crisis also. For India, the pandemic  has come at a very bad time on the back of three years of the economic crunch.

As the coronavirus spreads globally, celebrities are doing their part to help. Amid the pandemic, stars have been using their platforms to spread awareness, whether it's by sharing videos of themselves washing their hands or advising fans to stay home and practice social distancing. In the midst of everything, Bollywood director Vivek Agnihotri is putting his creative skills to good use.

Vivek Agnihotri, who directed the sleeper hit The Tashkent Files last year, has taken up painting to raise money for daily wage workers, “There are a lot of people in the industry whose livelihood has been affected. I will sell these paintings for them,” he shares.

The filmmaker has also tied up with the federations for junior actors, the art department, stuntmen, and other technicians and is trying to raise funds for them too through his contact with NGOs “I can only help in my limited way, but hopefully, it will encourage others to come forward,” he says.

Vivek has completed two paintings and the third is a work-in-progress. “It takes two days to complete a painting. I don’t know how long this lock-down will continue, so it’s best to keep working on my art. It’s important to be positive and put creativity to good use,” he reiterates.

Meanwhile, The Kashmir Files, which was to go on the floors on March 16, was canceled at the last minute. The film was to be shot in parts of Jammu, Kashmir, Delhi, and Mumbai.