It’s a busy day at the Panday household as they gear up for Ganeshotsav, which begins today. The fervour can be felt as we are welcomed by actor Chunky Panday, wife Bhavana and her mum, Chitra Khosla, before we sit down for an exclusive shoot and chat with Ananya Panday.

“Ganeshotsav has always been my favourite festival,” exclaims the actor, dressed in a purple and golden saree.

The 24-year-old adds, “When I was young, we’d celebrate this (Ganesh Chaturthi) at school. I would go to my friends’ houses, too. I have always felt a connection with Bappa; he used to be my mobile wallpaper at one point! I always felt very calm looking into his eyes. As a child, I’d ask my mum, ‘When will we bring him home?’ And every year, she’d say, ‘When you are responsible enough to do the rituals yourself’.”

That finally happened in 2018, when she started shooting for her debut film, Student Of The Year 2. “She (Bhavana) said, ‘You are ready now’,” says Ananya, who oversees the preparations as well as decor. “Now, I think it’s going to be a generational ritual of bringing Bappa home. It’s our fifth year this time,” adds the actor.

The Pandays ensure they opt for an eco-friendly Ganpati idol. Given their busy schedules, they keep the idol usually for a day and a half, as opposed to the conventional 10-day practice. “But, in that period, there is always someone around. We feed Bappa before we eat,” shares Ananya, adding that the idol is immersed at home itself, in a “special drum”.

“We play music and dance from the hall to the balcony. We pour the water in our plants, so there’s a piece of Bappa with us all year round,” she signs off.