Anupama Parameswaran: Reminiscing her childhood — We used to celebrate Makar Sankranti in a big way right from school. I used to call all my friends home and we would have a gala time indulging in some good homely food. We would all go to the terrace and fly kites of different colours and simply enjoy. After becoming an actress, when you say Sankranti festival, the first thing that comes to my mind is movies. Some of my best flicks in Tamil and Telugu were released during the festival were blockbusters.
Hansika Motwani: A new tradition — Sankranti is a very special festival for me. Last year, my film Sathamanam Bhavati was released for Sankranti and it won a National Award. I was able to enjoy the festive vibes while shooting for the film as well. The film also accentuates the significance of Sankranti through family bonding and celebrating together. I came to know about the festival better and how it is being celebrated in these parts after I started doing Telugu films. My family and cousins come together and we binge on the delicious spread my mother makes.
Mehreen Kaur: Festival special TV appearance — I am from Punjab and we celebrate Lohri, which is very similar to Bhogi, complete with the bonfire, except there’s bhangra that happens too. I love how this festival marks a lovely beginning to the New Year. Any kind of festival is a time to celebrate with family and that’s why I have taken out time to be with them. What’s striking about this Sankranti for me is that despite going home for the festival, I am still going to be around my audience and fans with two of my films — Krishnagaadi Veera Prema Gaadha and Mahanubhavudu — being featured on TV. I love how people on social media have been calling this a Mehreen festival!
Rahul Ravindran: A working Sankranti — Sankranti, or Pongal, always reminds me of family. The compulsory family lunch, chakkara pongal, and of course the happiness around makes this a festival I love. My mom cooks up a storm on this day and makes one of her best meals of the year. However, this time around, I am in Hyderabad. I’m busy wrapping up work on my directorial debut. In fact, on the day of the festival too, I will be held up in the dubbing studio. The only relief is that I am not going to completely miss out on family time as Chinmayi (wife) is dubbing for my lead actress and also singing a few songs in my film. Towards the end of the day, she’s going to cook the festive spread and I will help her out, despite my limited understanding of the culinary art!
