Kolkata: In a recent interview, Dev’s sister Deepali confessed that she often hesitates to tell people she’s the sister of a megastar. But just like her, Dev remains a down-to-earth family man who celebrates Bhai Phonta the traditional way, just like any other Bengali household.
The same holds true for Koel Mallick’s celebrations too. Now a proud mom of two, this year’s Bhai Phonta was extra special for her. It was the first one for her newborn daughter, Kabya, with her elder brother, Kabir. The ‘Sarthopor’ actress spent the day at her ancestral home in Bhawanipore, celebrating the occasion with her family. Her father, veteran actor Ranjit Mallick, was there too, joining in the festivities.
Actress Subhashree Ganguly, meanwhile, makes sure her kids, Yuvaan and little Yalini, grow up learning the rituals of Bhai Phonta. In a video she shared on social media, Subhashree is seen guiding her toddler daughter to touch her brother’s feet.
For state minister Aroop Biswas, the day begins with blessings and Bhai Phonta from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee herself. He then spent most of the day in his constituency, Tollygunge, where he hosted a Bhai Phonta event with the senior citizens of Navanir old-age home. Tollywood stars like Rituparna Sengupta, Koushani Mukherjee, Nusrat Jahan, Aparajita Auddy and TMC MPs Sayoni Ghosh and June Maliah joined him this year. “I can’t imagine Bhai Phonta without spending it with Aroop da,” smiled Koushani. Rituparna, too, got nostalgic about her childhood celebrations with cousins. Sayoni and Rituparna even sang a few songs and the elderly women joined in with dance and laughter.
As always, actress Ridhima Ghosh marked the day virtually, celebrating Bhai Phonta with her brother over a video call, keeping the bond alive across distances.