Tanu’s got the festive fever

Tanu's got the festive fever

Tanushree Dutta might come across as being quiet till she starts talking about Durga Puja. Instantly transported to those good ol' days, she animatedly tells us about making heads turn with her bold dressing, and getting a kick from seeing her aunties' go 'hawww!' And of course, she cherished those days of freedom that gave her the licence to 'officially have fun' since there was no school. Gearing up to wear a sari this year, the actor talks to CS about the Puja celebrations, then and now:

Who: Tanushree Dutta
What: Talking about celebrating Durga Puja as a teenager
Where: At Lokhandwala

Festive tamasha
As a youngster, I looked forward to the festival because it meant wearing new clothes. And even by Jamshedpur standards, I was quite a wannabe. My parents were very particular about what we wore and how we spoke to the boys. But I would read all the latest magazines and tell my mom that I wanted to dress like the models in them. So much so, that I would go to the store with the picture and tell the shopkeeper that I wanted a dress just like the one in the picture. Irritated, my mom would say that I always created a 'tamasha' everywhere I went because I wouldn't be satisfied by anything that the shopkeeper showed meu00a0-- I wanted the skirt to be shorter and my tops to be sleeveless. And then, we would have another fight when my mom would tell me to cover up with a jacket before stepping into the Puja pandal. Just when all the aunties had gathered, I would take off the jacket very casually and bask in that shock value.

Great shakes
We lived in huge society in Jamshedpur that had its own pandal. The highlight of the evenings used to be a cultural programme wherein the kids performed. One such time, we danced on Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhen (Baazigar) and boy, how we practised for it! At that time, I used to be very stage shy and a terrible dancer, so I was very happy to be hidden right behind. Since I was also a part of the society kids' committee, I had to be actively involved in organising fun-fares and stalls. My friends and I would be gallivanting the entire day and I would barely go home to sleep.

It's party time
Overtime, I've lost that excitement somewhere, even though I still look forward to the festival. I turned into a shopaholic as soon as I started earning, so the novelty and charm associated with shopping for the Puja has gone. But, this time I'm going to buy myself a few saris because I don't often get a chance to wear them. And I also plan to visit the Lokhandwala Pandal that's close to my house. And looks like I'm going to miss the immersion too.

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