A woman and her son purchase a goat named Shah Rukh at Bakri Bazaar in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Nov. 6: Istikhar Ansari did not have enough money to take Salman home but Saif will add extra colours to his Id-uz-Zoha celebrations.

No, the new Nawab of Pataudi will not be a special guest at the house of the Dariaganj resident. Saif Ali Khan is the name of the sacrificial goat he purchased today at Bakri Bazaar in the state capital.

Ansari is not alone. Sources said goats named after Bollywood actors and films are a great hit with the Id revellers this year. Goats named after Salman, Shah Rukh, Saif and Aamir are selling like hot pies. The sacrificial animals have also been named after local boy Chirag Paswan, whose maiden film Miley Naa Miley Hum hit the silver screen last Friday. The does, bucks and kids also share their names with blockbusters Ra.One and Dabangg.

Goat sellers claimed that this was a new phenomenon. “This is a new trend. This year, people are buying goats with names of celebrities,” said Kallu, a goat seller at Bakri Bazaar.

Daroga Singh, another goat seller, added: “Id-uz-Zoha is one of the most awaited festivals. Goats named after celebrities boost the festive mood.”

He added that the revellers did not grudge loosening their purse strings while buying them.

Sources said citizens purchasing goats with names of Bollywood stars had to cough up a significant sum. Goats named after Salman Khan, who has delivered four back-to-back hits with Wanted, Dabangg, Ready and Bodyguard, are priced at Rs 51,000. Those named after Shah Rukh are a little less expensive — Rs 41,000.

“Probably because Ra.One has not been as big a hit as Dabangg,” said another goat seller.

Dabangg has beaten Ra.One not only at the box office but also at Bakri Bazaar. For, goats named after the former are selling for Rs 45,000, while those named after the latter for Rs 35,000. The two other Khans of Bollywood — Aamir and Saif — have also made an appearance in this carpine competition. They are, however, priced far less at Rs 35,000 and Rs 30,000, respectively.

Revellers are in no mood to compromise with the fun. They are shelling out the money needed to buy these starry goats.

Phulwarisharif resident Imitiaz Alam, who bought a goat named Aamir Khan today, said: “Aamir is my favourite actor. Till last year, I used to buy any goat that looked good. But this time, my son told me that his friend’s father has bought a goat named after Shah Rukh. So, I came here to buy a similar goat.”

Goats named after Chirag have few takers though the animals are priced only at Rs 10,000. “His film is a disaster. The goat will not be very good either,” said Gardanibagh resident Mohammed Sultan, who had also come to buy an animal.

A source said naming festive items after film stars cut across religious boundaries. Crackers named after Bollywood actors were popular during Diwali this year.