Rukmini Maitra Spills Beans On Her Durga Puja Plans, Says I Feel Like A Kid In A Candy Store| Exclusive

Rukmini Maitra might have made her stellar Bollywood debut just last year opposite Vidyut Jamwal in Sanak, but she is definitely one of the busiest actors in the Bengali film industry. Between film shoots, ad campaigns and photoshoots it is very difficult to get ahold of her because she is constantly on the move, but perhaps it is for the same reason that she says “Pujas means prioritising quality time with my family because that is what I crave for throughout the year, as I’m so busy travelling most of the time for work” when asked what Durga Pujas mean to her.

Talking about her fondest Puja memories growing up, she mentions, “Not just for me but I think for most Bengalis, taking a huge car out for pandal hopping is a memory worth holding on to, it is such a big car that you have half your family packed into it to the extent that if anyone who is a spectator would think, How is this even happening? It’s like Pandora’s box.”

Rukmini further added, “Another fond memory for me is finding candy floss at every nook and corner of the city. I cannot resist candy floss and I literally feel like the entire city is my candy shop during Pujas. Kolkata is so decked up during that time that I feel like a kid in a candy store who has so many options to choose from.”

Growing up Rukmini too was one of those kids who loved distributing bhog, and she misses that dearly because she does not get to do that anymore. But that does not mean that she misses out on indulging in some good old ‘Bhog-er-khichuri’ herself.

“I love the Khichuri that you get as bhog, it is sweet and so flavourful and no matter how much one tries they can never replicate that kind of a Khichuri. I think it does have a lot to do with the kind of emotions that are attached to it,” says the Sanak star.

The actor never got her fair chance at what is very popularly known as ‘Pujo-r Prem’ to every single Bengali in the world, and she confirms this by saying “Sadly, this is something which has never been ticked off my checklist owing to my brother, who has always been extremely protective slash possessive about his baby sister. So whenever I would step out to a Pandal he used to make sure that not only he but also his friends there were providing as my bodyguards.”

Like any other quintessential ‘Bangali’ it is mandatory for Rukmini to take part in the Ashtami ‘anjali’/ aarti- “Just to be there during the early morning Ashtami aarti is an emotion to me that is beyond anything else, it is ingrained in our system so well that just by reflex I will wear a red and white saree with a small bindi and quickly go down to be a part of it, no matter how tired I am.”

Rukstar as most of her fans likes to refer to her as, loves to use Pujas as a break from everything else and that is primarily why she loves opting for almost no-makeup looks during all five days.

Talking to NW18 exclusively about what her fashion statement this year is going to be all about, she mentions, “Because I have to be continuously decked up throughout the year, I try taking a break from all of that during Pujas. My mother makes sure that I have my five sets of clothing. Pujas is all about being very bengali. So I have my saris I have a couple of easy peasy Kurtis. I’m not much of a salwaar person, so I avoid that on a whole.

“Unless and until I have to go for an appearance or something of that sort, I try to stay away from makeup as much as I can during the festivities. I keep it absolutely makeup free because I do enjoy it that way p and I feel very confident without makeup. I genuinely do. Plus, I think there is this thing with Bengali girls, I feel you know we are blessed with beautiful hair and skin so we do not need to give an extra effort,” she added.

Rukmini has a lot of things brewing post-Durga Pujas, for starters she shares that she resolves to “Get back to getting fitter and hit the gym more frequently.” She will also be seen playing the iconic role of Binodini Dasi and needs to start prepping for that through workshops and training workshops, plus Rukmini has been praised so much just for the poster release that the pressure is way more intense than it was before-

“Binodini Dasi was known as the Queen of Indian stage, to portray her on cellular and justify her character is a Himalayan task for any actor. And the fact that I have, I have that on my shoulders, is a huge, huge, huge responsibility. And I need to give not only my 100% I think my 1,100% to it, and I will try to justify it and live up to people’s expectations. I’m going to start prepping for that post festivities,” confirms the actor.

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