Upasana with her husband, Telugu actor Ram Charan. (Credit: Instagram/@upasanakaminenikonidela)The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the darkest phases in recent history. While many lost loved ones, others struggled with isolation, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion. Even Ram Charan found himself battling a difficult mental phase during the lockdown, despite being in the middle of filming RRR. The actor recently revealed that after the lockdown was lifted, he no longer felt motivated to work out or return to the sets — until a conversation with filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli completely changed his perspective.Ahead of the release of Peddi, Ram Charan went on a drive around Hyderabad with director Buchi Babu Sana, where he opened up about the emotional toll the pandemic took on him and his wife Upasana Kamineni Konidela.“During COVID time, everyone was hit mentally, health-wise and financially. It hit me too. We were all in a confused state. Fifty percent of RRR was done by the time the break happened. I was at my peak physically and suddenly the film stopped. I used to stay in an apartment then. Later, I shifted to this house,” he shared.Recalling the constant stream of bad news and deaths during the pandemic, the actor said the atmosphere deeply affected him. “Seeing people pass away like that… I was staying at Upasana’s home. She was constantly attending hospital calls from home. I used to sit alone in my home theatre. She would be beside me physically, but always occupied with something or the other,” he said.Ram Charan then revealed how isolating those months became for him. “You won’t believe it — during the entire COVID-19 phase, she stayed in one room managing patients while I lived alone in another room for months. That hit me really hard.”ALSO READ | Ram Charan underwent 3 body transformations for Peddi, is in pain: ‘I can’t lift my daughter’The actor admitted that prolonged isolation slowly pushed him into a mentally low phase. “When you are alone for so many days, your thoughts begin to change. I became mentally low. When things started reopening after COVID, I called Rajamouli sir and told him I wanted to meet him once.”Story continues below this adSharing details of the conversation that changed him, Ram Charan said, “I told him the shoot was starting soon, but I wasn’t getting the energy or motivation to return. I said, ‘It’s such a big film. I’m working with the biggest director. What’s happening to me? Why am I unable to feel motivated?’”According to the actor, Rajamouli’s advice stayed with him forever.“He told me, ‘Charan, motivation doesn’t always come from something big.’ What bigger motivation can there be than RRR? Yet even I feel lazy sometimes and don’t feel like going to the gym or shoot. He said, ‘So it’s not like that. The lockdown will end in 20 days. Start small.’”Ram Charan continued, “He said, ‘Find one small task that makes you wake up in the morning. During COVID there was no work, so I started cleaning my room with the motivation that it should become the cleanest room in Jubilee Hills. Then I moved to the garden. Then the house. Then the farmhouse. Planning construction, improving spaces — these became my small motivations.’”Story continues below this adThe actor said that advice helped him immensely. “Ever since then, not once have I felt demotivated,” he added.Disclaimer: This article reflects personal experiences with isolation and emotional distress during the pandemic and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you or someone you know is going through a difficult phase or experiencing mental distress, please remember that support is available and you do not have to navigate it alone.HELP IS A CALL AWAY MENTAL HEALTH HELPLINE NUMBERSAASRASnehiContact: 9582208181Email: snehi.india@gmail.comTimings: 10am – 10pm, all daysLanguages: English, Hindi, MarathiFortis MentalHealthContact: 8376804102Timings: 24×7; All daysLanguages: Achiku, Assamese, Bengali, Dogri, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Telugu, UrduConnecting NGOContact: 9922004305, 9922001122Email: distressmailsconnecting@gmail.comTimings: 12pm – 8pm; All daysLanguages: English, Hindi, MarathiVandrevala FoundationContact: 18602662345Email: help@vandrevalafoundation.comTimings: 24×7Languages: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati and EnglishClick here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Ram Charan