How Bollywood celebrates Indian festivals from Holi and Gudi Padwa to Eid

(from left) Lucia Silversti, creative director jewellery, Bulgari; Jean Christophe Babin, CEO, Bulgari; and Priyanka Chopra Jonas with Isha M. Ambani, director, Reliance Industries Ltd, at 'A Roman Holi' at the Ambani residence.

1. How to make Puran Poli, Bollywood’s favourite Gudi Padwa dish: From Shraddha Kapoor to Radhika Apta, many Bollywood leading ladies are partial to the chana daal-jaggery-spices dessert Puran Poli - especially on Maharashtrian New Year Gudi Padwa.

2. What IPL greats love to eat: Rishabh Pant may have spent months eating frugally after his accident in December 2022, but given a chance, he loves to eat chhole bhature and dosa with podi. MS Dhoni, a known foodie, can't resist a good gajar ka halwa. Outside of sweets, butter chicken tops his list of favourite dishes. Aamras puri is CSK batter Ajinkya Rahane's favourite and KKR captain Shreyas Iyer loves a pomfret cooked in coconut milk.

3. Bollywood comedies to watch on April Fool's Day: On a day to play the fool and take the mickey out of loved ones, old-time Bollywood comedies can be just the ticket for a fun evening at home. Chupke Chupke (1975) starring Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Om Prakash and Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan is a perennial favourite. As is Hera Pheri (2000). Starring Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, the film is about three losers who get swept up in a crime and manage to get out of it with their hides intact and much more cash in their pockets than they had at the start. The whole thing starts with a cross connection on the phone - an event that people born in the new millennium may never see.

4. From Priyanka Chopra Jonas to Kareena Kapoor Khan, how Bollywood celebs spend Easter Sunday: Easter 2024 was on March 31. Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Genelia Deshmukh, Jaqueline Fernandes, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, among others mark the occasion with good food and in great style.

5. Bollywood celebrates iftaar in a big way and many stars host parties. This year, the iftaar parties were ushered in by politician and former MLA Baba Siddique and his son Zeeshan Siddique. They hosted their annual Iftar party, attended by celebrities from both Bollywood and TV. It was a star-studded evening with Shilpa Shetty, Salman Khan, Preity Zinta, Vijay Varma, Gauhar Khan, Shehnaaz Gill and Emraan Hashmi among others.

6. The sixth Godrej L'Affaire, on March 29, featured an exclusive fashion show by actor and renowned fashionista Malaika Arora, showcasing her flagship brand, The Label Life. The brand's debut collection that came down the runway showcased the Spring/Summer 2024 collection centred around iconic Picnic, Party, and Office looks.

7. Actor Boman Irani is also writer-director Boman Irani now. He's making his directorial debut with 'The Mehta Boys', starring him along with Avinash Tiwary and Shreya Chaudhary. Irani co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar-winning writer Alex Dinelaris. ‘The Mehta Boys’ is about a tumultuous father-son relationship, unfolding over a tense 48 hours they spend together.

8. Legend goes that when the Parsis came to India, they promised to coexist with the local population like sugar in milk. Indeed, Parsis are known for their talent and industry in fields from aviation to acting. On Parsi New Year or Navroz on March 20 this year, we looked back at five prominent Parsis including industrialist Adi Godrej and cricketer Diana Edulji.

9. Isha Ambani ushered in Holi 2024 with A Roman Holi at the Ambanis' Mumbai home. Celebrities like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shilpa Shetty, Ayushmann Khurrana, Madhuri Dixit Nene, among others, were in attendance. Needless to say, it was incredibly fashionable with the celebrities turning out in pastels and earthy tones, Indo-Western apparel and stylish sarees.

10. Kunal Kemmu's directorial debut Madgaon Express, about youthful dreams and an adventure with friends a-la 'Dil Chahta Hai', saw him donning yet another role - lyricist and singer of Hum Yahin which was launched online ahead of the film release.

11. Roza comes from the word ‘roz’ meaning, daily. Fasts or rozas, are thus observed during the Holy month of Ramzan. Suhoor or sehri is the meal people eat before sunrise, before the Ramadan fast for the day begins. Iftar is the meal eaten after the sun sets. Ramzan this year was from March 11/12 to April 11. A glossary of terms linked to this month-long fast before Eid.

12. What to eat for sehri before the first roza in the holy month of fasting: People who observe Roza don't eat anything between the Sehri pre-dawn and Iftar at sunset. So what eat for Sehri should ideally provide lasting energy and hydration. Complex carbohydrates, protein and fruits, are all good choices - and whole grains, eggs, yogurt and nuts are popular. Mumbai-based home chef Mumtaz Kazi Pawaskar, who specialises in Kokni Muslim cuisine, said: “People generally take it easy for the first roza, as it takes the body a while to adjust to the odd eating hours. So, they eat a light but complete meal for the first sehri: Banana, fried eggs with paratha. Older people prefer sabudana and suji porridge, as it is easily digestible.”

13. A woman toddy tapper, pink autorickshaw driver and lifesaver - women are taking up professions that were previously thought to be the domain of men.

14. What foods can you eat while fasting on Mahashivratri? The Mahashivratri fast starts 2 hours before sunrise (Brahma Mahurat) and ends in the last three hours of a 24-hour period. Alu ki sabzi, singhade ke atte (waterchesnut) ki puri, lauki ki sabzi, potato raita, sabudana khichdi, sabudana vada, dry fruits milkshake, are some of the typical foods that comprise a Mahashivratri fasting thali.

15. Mahashivratri: 6 Hindi films songs that celebrate Lord Shiva | There's a playlist of Hindi songs for every occasion. On Mahashivratri, the best of them include songs like Bhole O Bhole from Amitabh Bachchan’s film 'Yaraana' in 1981, Mann Mein Shiva from Arjun Kapoor's 2019 film 'Panipat' and Shankara re Shankara from 'Tanhaji - The Unsung Warrior' (2020) starring Ajay Devgn.

16. World Health Day 2024: How Bollywood actors from Hrithik Roshan to Rakul Preet Singh stay fit | Yoga, martial arts, swimming, weights - you name it, and there's a Bollywood celebrity who is both star student and evangelist of the discipline. Lately a video of Ranbir Kapoor doing a bunch of exercises from kettlebell exercises to biking and running went viral. He's preparing for his role as Ram in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.