JOIN USActors have too busy a shooting schedule to be able to take off and spend time with their families. They confess that they miss out on quality time with their families like eating a meal together, hanging out, shopping or just lazing around at home.
Soaring expectations and competition on the work front leave the stars with very little time for things that they like. However this Ugadi, most actors have set some time apart for their families and plan to partake in every possible aspect of the festival, be it food, shopping or even temple visits.
Metrolife spoke to a few actors and asked them about their plans for the festival.
Telugu actor Vishnu Manchu and his wife Viranica have twins — Arianna and Vivianna and the couple leaves no stone unturned to make every festival a memorable event for their children. Vishnu says, “My wife Viranica and my mother make some special dishes and my favourite is pulav which my mother makes. My wife too makes a semiya payasam which according to me is out of the world. The whole family comes together only on occasions like this.”
Vishnu says that a little bit of neem is also added to some of the dishes, “The neem add a slightly bitter tinge to the dish. Just like success comes with a bit of bitterness, everything sweet has to have a bit of bitter or sour taste,” reasons Vishnu.
Actor Upendra and his wife Priyanka have never been happier. They’ve been working overtime to get their home production Uppi 2 started. The work on the film, that is written and directed by Upendra and produced by Priyanka, will take off this Ugadi. Upendra says that he makes it a point to spend time with his family and extended family after a round of puja on Ugadi.
“My brothers come and we have a meal together. The meal comprises traditional fare like chitranna, sambar, rasam and sweets of course. The best vegetarian dishes find place in the menu. In addition to new clothes, it’s the warmth of my family and fans that makes it special,” says Upendra.
Priyanka says, “Festivals are the only time we get to spend time together. Uppi keeps travelling and rarely gets to eat home-made food. So we also smuggle in dishes that are his favourite.”
It’s a different kind of Ugadi for actor Shivarajkumar. He is busy campaigning for his wife Geetha Shivarajkumar, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections this year, “I will be travelling to Shimoga to be with my wife. Every Ugadi, we make it a point to spend time together as a family,” says Shivarajkumar.
Actress Ragini says that she hasn’t been able to celebrate a single festival with her family thanks to demanding work schedules.
“I was shooting during Holi and Ugadi will be celebrated at work as well. But now that my film Ragini IPS has released, I will hop into a few theatres and watch the movie with my fans,” she signs off.