Mumbai Sep 30 Actress Tanishaa Mukerji, who has been an active participant in the Durga Puja festival every year, is currently busy as a bee with the ongoing festivities.
The actress opened up to IANS about the emotional significance of this year's celebration. Tanishaa, dressed in a traditional white Bengali saree, said the occasion felt deeply personal as it brought back memories of her late father and her uncle Debu Kaka, who passed away a few months ago. "Today is a very special day for me," she said.
"It feels like my father has come to the puja. He loved the Durga Puja, and I feel very happy. It feels as if I am standing with my father today and reliving all those good memories," she said, with her voice reflecting her emotions. She also remembered her Debu Kaka, her uncle, saying, 'Today I feel like I am with my Debu Kaka, who passed away a few months ago. I feel he is here with me today at this very pandal. It's very emotional." The actress further elaborated on the ensemble that she was donning.
Dressed in a traditional white Bengali saree, Tanishaa elaborated on the significance of it. She said, 'Today, on Ashtami, I am wearing a typical Bengali saree. I wear a lot of sarees, and every year my mom buys sarees for me. This time I am wearing a very traditional Bengali attire. I have also worn my grandmother's garland in my hairdo to keep her close to me."
Reflecting on her family's long-standing involvement in Durga Puja, she said, 'My grandmother started the puja, and today, just look at it; it is so big." She added, "Our family has been doing this for many years, and look how big it has become. Today, on the occasion of Ashtami, a lot of people have come to seek blessings and also for the Ashtami bhog.” She further added that the entire film industry that attends the Durga Puja is also an extended version of her family. “The entire film industry is also a part of the Durga Puja – celebrities, stars, and everybody who visits the Durga Puja. It is one big family occasion.”
For the uninitiated, Debu Kaka, aka Deb Mukherjee, was a renowned filmmaker and also the brother of Kajol and Rani Mukerji's father. He was the father of director Aryan Mukherjee. Deb Mukherjee passed away on March 14 at the age of 83.
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