Politicians and Bollywood actors have become the best brand ambassadors for Rakshabandhan, and this year is no exception.
Shubhangi Khapre. Shabana AnsariMUMBAI: Politicians and Bollywood actors have become the best brand ambassadors for Rakshabandhan, and this year is no exception.
Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has cleared his schedule to keep his date with “rakhi sisters” at 9:45am on Wednesday at his residence, Varsha. CM’s political managers say, “Brahmakumaris, orphan children and social activists will visit Deshmukh to tie rakhis.
In return, the Chief Minister will offer them sweets and good wishes.”
MP Milind Deora says, “People come home to tie a rakhi. Some send it via post.” Interestingly, Mantralaya is inundated with social workers and Brahmakumaris who hop from one cabin to another, hoping to tie the silken knot.
A Cabinet minister’s private secretary, on condition of anonymity, says, “It gets difficult to meet their demands. Last year, a couple of them tied rakhis and asked the minister to give them jobs. We had to promise them jobs.”
MP Priya Dutt, daughter of the late actor and Union minister Sunil Dutt, plans to visit her father’s “rakhi sisters” in the redlight areas of Mumbai.
Her personal secretary says, “She is flying to Mumbai to tie a rakhi on her brother Sanjay. She may visit people in the redlight areas depending on her schedule and the Mumbai weather.”
But hectic schedules are not going to be a dampener for siblings in Bollywood.
“This festival has a special significance for me since my brother, Siddharth, is my biggest supporter,” says Manisha Koirala, who makes it a point to send a rakhi to her sibling.
Urmila Matondkar plans to visit her brother to tie a rakhi.
“I don’t believe in shortcuts like sending a rakhi in the mail,” she says. “Every year, I visit my brother and celebrate the festival the traditional way.”
Actor Divya Dutta says she will wear new clothes and offer prayers for her brother’s well-being. “My brother is too generous,” she says. “He spends nearly a month’s salary to buy a gift for me every year.”
Actor Tushar Kapoor says that he plans to spend some time with his sister, Ekta.
“There is no formal celebration at our house,” he says. “Since Ekta and I are friends first, we will just chill out together at home or with friends.”
However, no one looks forward to Rakshabandhan as much as Priyanka Chopra. “Besides my younger brother, I tie rakhis on 25 cousins.”
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