Sayani goes pandal hopping on Durga Puja
Unable to celebrate the festive season with her family last year, Sayani Gupta is ecstatic that her mother is here with her this Durga Puja. “I am unable to celebrate Durga Pujo with my family every year. One tries to, but last time it didn’t happen. I couldn’t go home for it. But this year, my mum is here in Mumbai,” she says.
The 36-year-old, who is currently filming Four More Shots Please! Season 3, reveals that despite hectic schedules, she makes it a point to celebrate festivals. “I try to make time. Durga Pujo is something one has to celebrate. Even if I am shooting, I take out time to go to the pandals, see Maa, give Anjali on Ashtami.”
Fortunately, it just so happened that the Pagglait actor’s schedule break was on the four days of Durga Puja.
“I was supposed to go for an outdoor shoot, but I didn’t due to logistical issues. I wore a saree, and went pandal hopping, along with a friend’s mother. You have to take out time for Durga Pujo, there is no other option,” laughs Gupta, who was born in Kolkata.
The actor says the effects of the pandemic on the celebrations were quite evident this time. She tells us, “This year, everything wasn’t as grand and it was mostly private. But we were wearing masks and being careful. We also went for bhog.”
When it comes to Durga Puja, there are a lot of things Gupta looks forward to, but good food is something she doesn’t miss. She reveals, “Like khichdi, labra, payash, chutney. Just getting to see Maa’s face, it is a different feeling altogether, to see Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh, Kartik, asur, everybody together.”