Irrfan Khan's son returns from UK; in self-quarantine for two weeks

Sutapa, Babil and Irrfan Khan

It has been a frantic few days for Irrfan and wife Sutapa Sikdar, but last morning, the mother of two wore a broad smile as she welcomed son Babil at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. Babil, who has been pursuing a bachelor's degree in film studies at the Westminster University in London, found himself stuck in the British capital as the United Kingdom braced for a partial lockdown while the Indian government issued travel restrictions amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

To bring attention to the plight of Babil and several other students in foreign countries, Sikdar, on March 17, had shared a post on Facebook that read, "As a mother, I am worried as hell, but I don't understand when the Indian government has been so good with other students, why [is] it not helping Indian students stuck in London? Let the students come back home, my earnest appeal to GoI. (sic)"

Her efforts bore fruit as Babil, 19, returned to India yesterday, and has since been quarantined at their Madh Island home. A source reveals, "Babil's flight was late by over an hour. After he was let out of the airport post the screening, Sutapa whisked him off to their Madh residence where he will be under self-quarantine for 14 days. They are taking the necessary precautions."

Talking to mid-day, Sikdar shares that the past few days have taken a toll on her emotionally. "We were panicking as we could not get in touch with the airlines' offices. It was a nightmare to book tickets to Mumbai. Thankfully, the British Airways helped Babil and we were told [on Wednesday] that he is flying back."

The relief in her voice is evident as she speaks about her elder son. "Thank God Babil has returned safely! [When in London], he was anxious but put on a brave front because he knew that I would be stressed otherwise. For now, we have kept him in home quarantine for 14 days. His classes will be held online."

Home is where the stars are

• Pooja Hegde, who recently returned from the Georgia schedule of her yet-untitled film, has opted for self-quarantine.
• Saif Ali Khan isn't the only one catching up on his reading in these times. Since the shoot of Sadak 2 and Brahmastra have been postponed, leading lady Alia Bhatt made the most of me-time by discovering the joys of the literary world.
• Rakul Preet Singh, who recently shot for a film awards gala, was in self-quarantine mode. The actor took to social media to dole out yoga hacks to her fans.

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