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Life in the ‘fast’ lane: Hrithik Roshan’s tryst with Sun god
Be it Diwali, Holi or Ganesh Chaturthi, Hrithik Roshan has had on-screen trysts with many festivals. But earlier this week, the actor experienced the fervour of another festival — albeit in real life — when he closely witnessed and enjoyed the festivities of Chhath Puja, in Mumbai.
“As everyone knows, Hrithik lives in a sea-facing house in Juhu. So, he has witnessed huge devotional crowds on the beach every year, who celebrate the said festival. Although, the actor always admired the passion with which it is celebrated, he was unaware of the festival’s intricacies,” says a source close to him. Chhath Puja is a festival — dedicated to the Sun god — that’s celebrated on a large scale mostly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Unlike previous years, this time around, Hrithik decided to step out of his house to witness the festivities from even closer quarters. “In fact, he also interacted with a few devotees briefly after the puja. He was amazed to know various details about the festival, which has been an intrinsic part of almost the entire UP and Bihar regions,” adds the insider.
Apparently, since Hrithik prepped hard for his Bihari character in Super 30 (based on the life of Bihari mathematician Anand Kumar), the actor understood the significance of Chhath Puja better. In fact, he also posted a video — on his social networking sites — from the festivities this year.
When contacted, Hrithik told us: “It is not an easy fast to keep and I have deep respect for all those who follow it religiously. Since the beautiful festivities of the Chhath Puja happen right in front of my home, I have always witnessed it closely. At the same time, I have also always been extremely curious about the festival.
You can say that this year, after having played a Bihari in my film, I have understood the importance of the festival.”
On the work front, Hrithik will next be seen in Super 30 that will be followed by Aditya Chopra’s next production venture that will also feature Tiger Shroff and Vaani Kapoor.
It is not an easy fast to keep and I have deep respect for all those who follow it religiously. Since the beautiful festivities of the Chhath Puja happen right in front of my home (in Mumbai), I have always witnessed it closely.
HRITHIK ROSHAN, ACTOR