First things first. Akshay Kumar, who yesterday plunged Bollywood into concern after he tweeted he had Covid, is in excellent health and great spirits. The actor got himself admitted to the Dr. L. H. Hiranandani Hospital in Powai which is run by the family of his brother-in-law Surendra Hiranandani and is under quarantine but not medical treatment.

Akshay is totally out of bounds to friends, industry wallahs and even family but PeepingMoon.com has exclusively learned that the actor is optimistically looking upon this as a much needed break. All during the Covid lockdown last year, while others preferred to stay safe at home, Akshay shot and completed three films – Bell Bottom, Prithviraj and Atrangi Re, and began work on Ram Setu last week. Not to forget shooting for 18-20 commercial brands. He attributed his long, uninterrupted run in 2020 to Dabur Chyawanprash of which he is brand ambassador.

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He is now in institution quarantine at the Hiranandani Hospital and intends to complete the full course of 14 days – 10 at the hospital and four at home. The actor is not on medication and is only checked for oxygen levels and blood pressure. He is said to be enjoying the hospital food and the rest and spends his time watching TV and following cricket. A source in his production house said that even when he was on vacation, Akshay led a high-energy life and this was his first break in years.

Meanwhile, Bollywood trade pundits used to counting box-office collections are now fearfully totaling up the number of actors who have been struck by Covid. The industry has taken a hit by these figures and also by the new lockdown restrictions on theatres till April 30. Ironically, that was the release date of the most anticipated film of 2020 and 2021 – Akshay’s Sooryavanshi. The industry and the actor’s fans wait in suspense for an announcement on its release.

A Bollywood PR, counting those struck by Covid, said “All of them – Akshay, Alia Bhatt, Aamir Khan, Kartik Aaryan, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranbir Kapoor, Bappi Lahiri, Manoj Bajpayee, Govinda, Fatima Sana Shaikh, R. Madhavan, Sanjay Leela Bhansali – have been working and had to work without masks. They cannot read their lines with masks. They cannot do any scenes in masks. Nor can they wear gloves while shooting. If the scene demands that they hug someone – then they have to hug that someone. They are at high risk all the time and that’s why many actors and TV personalities got Covid. They are superheroes on screen but after pack-up they are family people with spouses and children at home like anybody else.”