Onkar Kulkarni (BOMBAY TIMES; August 22, 2020)

Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who hails from Haryana, came to Mumbai nearly three years ago, to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. For the first time this year, she has brought Lord Ganesha home to participate in the state’s most prominent festival. Manushi, who will be making her Bollywood debut opposite Akshay Kumar soon, has opted for an eco-friendly murti, and even the decoration follows a similar theme. In an interview with Bombay Times, she talks about the festivities, how she is missing her family and more. Excerpts:

This is the first year you are bringing home a Ganesha idol. What inspired you to host a five-day celebration?
I came to Mumbai almost three years ago to take part in the Femina Miss India beauty pageant. At that time, along with a few suitcases, I carried a small Ganpati idol with me. When I was competing in the Femina Miss India pageant, my parents and my friends, too, had gifted me a small Ganpati idol. When I set off for my Miss World journey, even at that time, I was given a Ganesha idol for luck and prosperity. During all the important occasions of my life, Lord Ganesha has always been there with me. After being in the city for nearly three years, I have closely seen how Maharashtrians celebrate this festival. This year, as I was home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, I thought that I could devote a lot of time for the preparations and rituals.

Though you are from Haryana, you have also spent many years in Bengaluru and Delhi. What are your early memories of Ganesh Chaturthi?
Although we are originally from Haryana, due to my father’s job in the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) we travelled a lot. I spent seven years of my early life in Bengaluru, and we also lived in Delhi. I was always surrounded by a cosmopolitan crowd and army kids. We did celebrate the festival then, but the way we did it was different from how it is celebrated in Maharashtra. This is very new for me. I am very excited about it, but due to the pandemic, I can’t invite people, and I’m doing it in a humble setting. It is such a lovely tradition, and I wish to continue to do it year after year.

Tell us about the preparations at your home for the festival...
I have been staying with my dad here. I miss my siblings and my mother, who are away. I wish they were a part of the celebrations, too. My dad and I set this up on our own. The theme is eco-friendly. We have a lot of plants at home, so the décor has been done using plants and a lot of genda phool (marigold flowers). Also, the murti is a tree Ganesha, which is eco-friendly. The visarjan will be done at home as the murti will dissolve in water, and later, blossom into a beautiful plant. Due to the pandemic, I have invited only my neighbours, the rest of my relatives and friends will do the darshan over video calls. As far as my colleagues are concerned, Akshay Kumar is busy shooting. I am sending him the pictures of all my preparations. I am happy that I managed to pull this off. Talking about sweets, both my father and I have a sweet tooth, and we are excited that during these five days, we will be getting to eat a lot of them. My all-time favourite is Kaju Katli and Motichoor Laddoos. Honestly, I come from a family of halwais. My great-grandfather used to own a sweet house in Delhi.

How did you keep yourself busy when work came to a standstill during the pandemic?
When I realised that the city was going in for a lockdown, I took stock of my paints and canvases. I enjoy painting and that kept me going. I am also utilising this time to finish my studies. I have enrolled for an online course in English literature. Luckily, I had my father here with me. I think if there is anyone in my life, who has influenced me and inspired me to think big, it’s my father.

Were you disappointed that the lockdown came at a time when you had just started your journey in Bollywood?
I think this period was tough not only for those who were starting out, but everybody at large. In fact, it felt like a small break, and now, it’s time to get back to your routine. A lot has happened in the last three years. Imagine, this was a city that I had never visited before I landed here for the Femina Miss India beauty pageant. From being an unknown city, I happily refer to it as home now. I still don’t feel that I have begun my journey in movies, maybe once I see myself on the big screen, I will realise that.