TV actors share their plans for Bhai Dooj

MUMBAI: From buying expensive gifts to binging on fast food, TV actors share their plans for Bhai Dooj this year.

Dalljiet Kaur: Anything that is dedicated to my brother means a lot to me. I have a lot of cousins, and I have 3 blood brothers in Mumbai: Pradeep, Varun, and Akshay. I celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj with them. They have always stood by my side, and if something has ever gone wrong, they have been there for me. I always feel strong when I am with them. In life, we all need some guidance and surety, and as a sister, I always stand strong with them and give all the positivity I can.

Sonakshi Save: This year, I will be celebrating Bhai Dooj with my parents only. Since I am the only child, I don't have any blood brothers or sisters. I tie rakhis to my pet dog Zorro and my pet cat Bingo. I will be getting sugarfree cakes for both of them. As of today, they are my only brothers.

Subuhi Joshi: This year, Bhai Dooj is on my birthday. It’ll be a double celebration, as after so many years, my brother is going to be here with me. I’ve missed the last few Bhai Doojs, but this year, fortunately, we will be together. My brother is 7 years younger to me, and I share a special motherly bond with him. I’m very possessive and protective of him. My mother has always been a working woman, so I have spent a lot of time with him alone. This has made me even more concerned and responsible for him. Although I don’t say it often to him, I love him the most. I remember once, we were both heading home from school, and two guys were following us on a motorcycle, trying to have a conversation with me.  My brother must have been 6 or 7 years old then. He noticed those men and immediately said, 'Sidi wo ladke aapka peecha kar rahe hai, maaru?'
I couldn’t control myself and started laughing so loudly that even those guys noticed and went away. He was so tiny and so concerned. I have a lot of memorable childhood memories with him.

Aastha Chaudhary: On every Diwali, I go to my home, and after that, I stay for Bhai Dooj too. We cousins are very close to each other, and we make sure that we celebrate Bhai Dooj under one roof. We are 5 or 6 cousins. It is more like a family reunion. After the Tika ceremony, we go for a city tour and eat fast food. My brother is 7 years younger than me, so I am more like another mother to him. Whenever he feels like sharing something, he comes to me before going to my mother. I am more like a shield to him. I am very protective of him. When we were children, we used to fight a lot. But as we grew up, we carved our own paths, living in different cities. We started missing each other and that bond became stronger.

Mreenal Deshraj: I think I’ve to cancel my Nagpur trip (to meet my brother), as I have got a foot injury, so I can’t travel at the moment. I talk to my family members every day on video call. So I'm sure my bhaiya will understand.

Rohitashv Gour: Our Indian culture is wonderful, and we are lucky to be able to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj as part of our tradition. My role in my sister's life is very important, because after college, my life was very busy because of the training in the National School of Drama, which was in Delhi. I was very far away from my sister because of my work. But until graduation, I lived with my sister in Kalkaji. It is a beautiful relationship that we share as we all are from the acting background. In my home, there is great importance given to music. My sisters were music lecturers. One of them has done an MA in vocal music from Punjab university, and she was the topper of her university. So whenever we used to have a festival like this, we all would sing duet songs of the old movies. After that, we used to share our experiences, as there were no mobiles phones at that point of time. We used to talk to each other face to face, unlike today, where everyone is busy in their own lives.

Amal Sehrawat: This Bhai Dooj is in Mumbai, as I am shooting. More than a brother, I am a friend to my sisters. We have a very healthy and transparent bond and share everything with each other without the fear of being judged. I will connect with my sister Rishika on a video call.

Ankit Bathla: Unfortunately, I will be in Mumbai this Bhai Dooj, but I am in Delhi on Diwali. So, I will carry my tika and everything with me. We normally do a video call. My sister here in Bombay puts the tika on behalf of my real sister, who does not stay here.

Ssharad Malhotra: It is not possible to go home to Kolkata as I'm shooting continuously, but I'll definitely be buying my sister a new phone or some jewellery for Bhai Dooj and some dark chocolates, as she loves those. Life is all about loving your family. This Bhai Dooj is important as I am a married man and my wife Ripci is part of my family now. The festival is a gentle reminder to value the relationship and celebrate these days together.

Shashank Vyas: I have a sister, Shrasthi. She's married and stays in Jodhpur. I am in Mumbai only, so I won't be able to meet her. I will talk to her on the phone and send her money so that she can buy whatever she likes. Bhai Dooj is a relevant festival that reminds us of the value of close relationships. Life is all about loving your family. Traditions and rituals are a part of our life. I am traditional and enjoy all festivals.

Ashish Trivedi: Bhai Dooj is very special for me because it reminds me of the importance of having a sibling. Growing up with a sibling is fun. My sisters' names are Karunesh Trivedi Pandey and Rashmi Trivedi Sharma. They both are elder to me, and we love to celebrate these festivals, whether we are in the same city or not.

We wish all our readers a very happy Bhai Dooj!