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.
