Growing up in Mumbai, Ganpati has always been an integral part of Aamna Sharif’s experience of the city. For her, the festival is about faith, family and the way Mumbai comes alive every year. On September 19, the actor visited Lalbaugcha Raja, an experience she describes as particularly personal. 

“There was something about the faith, warmth and energy around me that left me feeling genuinely grateful and peaceful,” she says. Her connection with Ganpati goes back to childhood, with one of her fondest memories being a visit to Lalbaugcha Raja with her parents. “One of my favourite childhood memories is going with my mom and dad to Lalbaugcha Raja,” she recalls.

Even today, she enjoys the sense of togetherness the festival brings. “Some of my fondest Ganpati memories are simply seeing Mumbai come alive every year, the celebrations, the warmth and people coming together.”

Aamna, who is married to producer-filmmaker Amit Kapoor, is yet to bring Bappa home, but hopes to do so someday.

“I still haven’t got Bappa home, but would love to someday,” she says. For now, she enjoys both the public festivities and her quieter moments with Bappa.

“I’ve come to appreciate both sides of it. The energy of public celebrations, the creativity and devotion behind each pandal installed, and then returning home and celebrating with family. But most I love is my inner connect with Bappa and my alone time with him,” she says.

For Sharif, the childlike excitement of the festival is just as important as its spiritual side. “I feel the life’s best lived are the ones where you never lose your childlike nature. So for me, it’s still about the modaks, the way the city comes alive, the dance on the roads, and all things festive and divine about it,” she says. She has a clear favourite when it comes to the festive treat.

“I love modaks, especially the malai kesar ones and the coconut steamed ones. I can literally finish an entire box,” she says. The festivities also give her an excuse to dress up. “I usually love to dress up even on other days, so festivals just give me the opportunity to up the ante and celebrate the spirit of it,” she says.

For Aamna, however, the heart of the festival lies in gratitude rather than asking for specific blessings. “More than asking for anything specific, I am always grateful for whatever I’ve got in life, and my prayer is always for the health, happiness and well-being of my family. With time, I’ve realized that peace of mind and having your loved ones around you are perhaps the biggest blessings one can ask for.”

That outlook, she says, comes from her upbringing. “Irrespective of where I come from, my parents have always taught me to celebrate and respect every festival, and I keep that belief alive.”

Actor Aamna Sharif took off with her husband Amit Kapoor and son Arain to Europe last month to have a pre-birthday celebration ahead of her birthday today. While she had a certain itinerary in mind, the unprecedented heatwave that the continent is currently experiencing, made her look at Europe through a different lens as she experienced the rising mercury levels first hand.

Sharif and her family went to France and Switzerland during the two week trip, but they were taken by surprise by the scorching heat, as temperatures rocketed to near 41°C in various parts.

“I was aware of the heatwave, but no weather forecast can prepare you for experiencing it. After the first couple of days, I got more accustomed and realized that we needed to listen to our bodies instead of trying to race through a checklist,” she says, adding that they took more breaks, consumed cold coffee and gelato, and took things at a slower pace.

The different approach gave her a sense of calm too. “We had to be more flexible because of the heat. Instead of trying to pack too much into the afternoons, we started our days earlier and planned most of the sightseeing for the mornings and evenings. I also made sure to stay hydrated and keep my energy levels up,” says the actor who turns 44 today.

Ask her about the take back she had from this trip and Sharif shares, “France was all about culture, great food and beautiful streets, while Switzerland honestly felt like a postcard come to life.”

Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha’s wedding festivities began with a chooda ceremony in Udaipur yesterday. Parineeti’s maternal uncle gifted her a set of red chooda. The wedding venue, situated beside Lake Pichola, was adorned with floral decorations. Following the chooda ceremony, mehendi and haldi rituals unfolded with close family and friends in attendance.

The welcome lunch, named ‘Blooms and Bites’, offered a taste of Rajasthani culture through its cuisine and decor. In the evening, guests enjoyed a sangeet night with a ’90s Bollywood theme, titled ‘Let’s Party Like the ’90s’.

Guests seen at the airport included Bhagyashree and Himalaya Dasani, Aamna Sharif and actor-poet Shailesh Lodha. The shaadi is set to be a starstudded affair, with politicians and Bollywood celebrities expected to attend.

As per reports, along with Rajasthan police officials, a team of 100 private security personnel has been deployed at the wedding venue. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot are expected to attend the reception.

Raghav’s outfits for the wedding have been designed by his uncle, fashion designer Pawan Sachdeva. The designer says, “Raghav likes it subtle and classy, as it goes with his style, persona and profession. He hates embroidery or anything flashy. So, I created textures on fabrics without any embroidery, so it looks like a wedding attire. For the wedding, he will be wearing a sherwani. For the haldi and mehendi ceremonies, he wore different styles of kurtas.”

The Delhi-based designer also revealed that the groom’s trousseau comprises “Indo-western outfits, tuxedos (that he will wear for the wedding reception tonight), asymmetrical cuts and bandi set.” Sachdeva adds, “All of them are a mix of sharp cuts with minimalistic designs.”

Parineeti’s cousin Priyanka Chopra won’t be coming down from the US to attend the wedding. Yesterday, Priyanka took to social media to wish her sister for her big day. She shared a picture that has Parineeti smiling and wrote, “I hope you are as happy and content as this on your big day little one.. always wishing you so much love #newbeginnings @ parineetichopra @ raghavchadha88 (sic).”

Aamna Sharif, who tied the knot with producer Amit Kapoor on December 27, 2013, is expecting her first child. Shares a close friend, “She has been spotted frequenting her doctor in Pali Hill. She didn't want to announce it, but we learnt of it when it became evident that she was pregnant.“ We sent a text message to the actress, but she didn't revert.

Mohit Suri discusses his next love story, opens up about wife Udita's pregnancy, and talks figures

Mohit Suri has proved with Ek Villain that he can set the cash registers ringing even without the Bhatts. However, he returns to the family banner to wield the megaphone for cousin Emraan Hashmi's next with Vidya Balan. Excerpts from an interview:

You moved out of the Bhatt camp to prove a point. Do you feel validated after the recent hit?
True. I'm about to become a father, I have to be more responsible now. My wife Udita (Goswami) and I had a minor tiff and she left for a holiday alone. She was mountaineering, rafting and skydiving when she discovered that she was pregnant.

Son or daughter?
I want a daughter, Udita wants a son. If it's a boy, they will both gang up against me. (Smiles) I'm in a happy space.

Will your next film, Hamari Adhuri Kahani, be different from your usual style of filmmaking?
People tell me to ride on a safe ticket, I won't. Whenever I have listened to unsolicited advice I have made films like Crook. I was told not to make a dark love story like Aashiqui 2 because only happy love stories like Student Of The Year work. I still went ahead and made it, I love flirting with danger.

Doesn't flirting with danger come from your association with uncle Mahesh Bhatt?
(Laughs) I was not around when he was directing films.

But you know of his love for daring subjects?
I know that he wouldn't have chosen to make an Ek Villain, I don't think he liked that film much. After Ek Villain, the Bhatts wanted me to do a remake of Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin or Sadak but I stuck to Hamari Adhuri Kahani, a story waiting to be told. It's about a woman who finds love but sadly, after marriage.

So, Vidya has an extramarital affair?
Yeah, but you can love a person without being physically involved. The film has a lot of human values involved. Some people come and touch your life so strongly that you can't evict them from your system. You are too consumed with him/her and the eviction is just not easy. I'm like that. I get strongly attached to people without any reason.

Why Vidya?
You connect to her at a personal level when you talk about human values, she's perfect for the role.

Will she have to lose weight for the film?
She has to look attractive. She is anyway losing weight, get ting into shape. That's one of the reasons she is on a break.

Ek Villain may have worked well commercially but it had a major flaw...Aamna Shariff's role was not fleshed out.
The role was not fleshed out because I wanted to show that besides a nagging wife, Ritesh (Deshmukh) has a psychological problem too. Every man has a nagging wife, but does every man kill?

Buzz is, Karan Johar has offered you Rs 9 crore to direct the official remake of Intouchables.
(Laughs) How does Mirror get to know everything? But yeah, money is finally coming in. Sorry, I can't disclose the exact figure.