For filmmaker Indira Dhar, whose films like Putul and Echoes of Valour have travelled to Cannes and Venice, the five days of Durga Puja are sacred not just for their cultural importance, but for the rare chance they offer her to pause and spend time with family. Known for her elegant red carpet appearances, often draped in a sari, Indira is ready to keep work aside and dive into the celebrations this Puja season.
Quality time with her son
“My ideal Durga Puja plan is to spend time with my family, especially quality time with my son,” said Indira. Her busy schedule often keeps her away from home. “The kind of schedules I have nowadays, I don't get much time with my son as in he's always studying or he's playing something or in school and I'm travelling and working. So when we only get these holidays where we can spend time together and I make it a point that during the Durga Puja I'll be free, I will not work for those four days,” she shared. For her, those days are about pandal-hopping, eating out or simply chatting with him. “I just want to spend time with him.”
Street food cravings and bhog nostalgia
When it comes to food, Indira refuses to choose between a home-cooked meal and dining out. “I mix and match both. I like food. So whether it's home-cooked or whether it's a dine-out,” she said with a smile. Bengali food, especially bhog and khichuri, remain must-haves for her. “I like the street food that we get in pandals. Whether it's phuchka, an egg roll, or chowmein. A lot of memories are attached to these street foods. And that's what I crave for.”
Five days of saris
Fashion, too, is an integral part of her Puja celebrations. Indira, who is known for representing India in saris at international film festivals, said, “I love wearing saris so whether it's Cannes, or Venice, I wear saris always, and the same goes for Durga Puja, so I'll be in a sari for all the days.”
Festivities mean family
For Indira, Durga Puja is ultimately about togetherness. “Durga Puja, for me, is a family time. As I grow older, preferences change in life, and now I understand that spending time with the people who really care for you, and bringing happiness to their lives, it's very important. So it's incomplete without my son, without my parents, and without Shayan [Ganguly].”
As she prepares to take a break from the bustle of shoots and edits, Indira is set to spend these five days the way she loves best — in a sari, hopping pandals, relishing phuchkas and celebrating with her family.