Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, celebrated today, holds a deeply personal meaning for actor Rhea Chakraborty. For her, it marks a “fresh start” in every sense. “The New Year signifies permission; permission to begin again, to forgive yourself and to try differently. Take it, with love, always,” she tells us.

Looking back at her childhood, she says, “My earliest memory of Poila Boishakh is honestly just the smell of it. New clothes, flowers, my mum’s cooking. We would wake up really early; the whole house had this energy, like everyone was somehow lighter. I remember being dressed up before I was even fully awake. That feeling of a fresh start, even as a child, felt so real.”

She adds, “The excitement for new clothes is still very much intact. Maybe even more now because I understand what it means. It’s like you’re literally wearing a new beginning.”

As she steps into the Noboborsho, aka the new year, Rhea is also looking ahead professionally. She marks her acting comeback after a seven-year hiatus with the upcoming series Family Business. “The professional goal this year is to keep building my fashion brand with the same honesty I started it with,” she says.

Speaking about food that is an integral part of the celebrations, Rhea recalls, “My dida’s Luchi and Alur Dom defined the New Year for me. No competition. She’d make it in the morning and the whole house smelled insane. I don’t think any restaurant version has ever come close. It’s one of those tastes that just takes you back in time instantly.” Even today, it’s a day of indulgence for the actor. She says, “It is absolutely a cheat day. There’s zero guilt. Some things are non-negotiable and Bengali sweets on Poila Baisakh is one of them. Mishti Doi, Rosogolla is a must. We move on.”-

Did she ever go for Halkhata at the local shops just for the sweets and calendars? “Oh absolutely. That was the whole point honestly. The sweets and the new calendar that you’d take home and put up like it was the most precious thing. I miss that simplicity so much,” she says with a smile.

Speaking about how she has prepared her home for the celebrations she says, “I keep my decor pretty simple but intentional. Fresh flowers everywhere, especially white ones, some diyas, and lots of mishti ( which is my nickname too.) Nothing overdone. The energy of the space matters more to me than how it looks.”

Noboborsho Rapid fire

Luchi-alur dom or panta ilish?

Luchi-alur dom. Always and forever.

Morning puja or evening get-togethers?

Morning puja. That quiet is everything.

Mishti doi or rosogolla?

Mishti doi.

Adda with friends or a quiet family dinner?

Family dinner, especially now.

Favourite accessories on Poila Boishakh?

Red and white sari, and a bindi. That’s it. That’s the look.

Ayan Mukerji’s ambitious fantasy film ‘Brahmāstra: Part One: Shiva’, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Amitabh Bachchan, released in 2022 with the promise of a larger trilogy. While fans have been eagerly waiting for updates on the second installment, a fresh development suggests that Brahmastra 2 is still very much on the cards.Although Ranbir Kapoor had earlier confirmed that the sequel is in progress, producer Namit Malhotra has now hinted that work on the film will begin after he completes his current project, Ramayana. Malhotra, along with actor Yash, recently attended CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas, where they have kickstarted the global promotions for Ramayana. As per an X (formerly Twitter) update by The Climax India, Malhotra confirmed at the event that he intends to carry forward the Astraverse with Brahmastra 2, though an official announcement is still awaited.The sequel is expected to explore the backstory and romance between Dev and Amrita, which was briefly teased in the climax of the first film. Back in October 2025, Ayan Mukerji had shared pictures from a mountain getaway, and fans quickly noticed a script in his hand, fueling speculation that he had begun working on Brahmastra 2. While he didn’t directly confirm it, his use of hashtags related to Part 2 and “Om” kept the intrigue alive.Earlier this year, Ranbir Kapoor also dropped a strong hint about the film while speaking on Alia Bhatt’s birthday. He said, “It is something that Ayan has been nurturing as a dream for a very long time. He is currently working on War 2. Once this releases, he will start pre-production of Brahmastra 2. It is definitely happening. We haven’t really announced much of it, but then some really interesting announcements (will be made soon) regarding Brahmastra 2,” Ranbir said.Meanwhile, Malhotra and Yash are currently focused on promoting Ramayana on a global scale. Speaking about the experience of working on the film, Malhotra described it as an “Avatar meets Gladiator moment.” In addition to Ramayana, Yash’s upcoming project Toxic has also garnered attention at CinemaCon, adding to the buzz around the actor’s lineup.