Pallaavii Chatterjee's family has been celebrating Kojagari Laxmi Pujo for over 150 years

KOLKATA / MUMBAI — In an industry governed by fast-paced schedules and constant movement, actor Pallaavii Chatterjee anchors herself in a profound legacy of devotion. Pallaavii, who recently earned widespread acclaim for her performance in the Nikkhil Advani-directed web series The Revolutionaries, views Kojagari Laxmi Pujo not merely as a festival, but as a sacred family tradition spanning over 150 years. This year marks her 26th consecutive year hosting the grand celebrations at her Kolkata residence, carrying forward the mantle from her late mother, Mrs. Ratna Chatterjee.

From meticulously hands-on shopping at Kolkata's traditional Gariahat market to preparing the multi-course Bengali bhog and drawing intricate alpona, Pallaavii embodies the spirit of a modern custodian of heritage. The annual gathering transforms her home into a grand confluence of warm camaraderie, echoing the celebratory spirit of a Bijoya Dashami get-together where the entertainment fraternity, corporate leaders, and close friends mingle under one roof.

"This puja is incredibly special to me because it has been passed down through generations for more than a century and a half," Pallaavii reflects. "What started on a modest scale has, by the grace of Maa Laxmi, grown beautifully. Today, our doors are open to everyone—whether they are actors, musicians, writers, or corporate professionals. In our home, family isn't defined just by bloodline; it includes everyone who comes to seek Maa's blessings and share the bhog."

Despite relocating her base to Mumbai three years ago to embark on a fresh creative chapter—restarting from scratch after a monumental career featuring over 150 films and 75 television shows—Pallaavii remains unyielding regarding her festive commitments. "I firmly believe that you can only serve Maa if she wills it. Even while filming The Revolutionaries in Japan, I had a strict clause in my contract reserving these crucial days for the puja. The production team completely respected that," the actress reveals.

The heart of the Chatterjee family puja lies in its magnificent history. Unlike public marquees, the household worships a delicate, generations-old silver idol of Goddess Lakshmi that remains enshrined in their temple year-round, bypassing the traditional immersion ritual. Pallaavii personally cleans, dresses, and applies custom makeup to the deity. The bhog offered to the deity is equally historic, served on a flawless white marble thali preserved through the ages, featuring traditional delicacies like luchi, khichdi, paanch bhaja (five types of fritters), aloo-kopi dalna, and homemade jaggery and sugar narus.

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Evoking fond nostalgia of her childhood, Pallaavii recalls when the festival was a lavish four-day affair featuring Narayan bhojan, cousin-led theatrical plays, musical performances, and industry-wide visitations. "I grew up watching my mother cook massive portions of bhog over traditional earthen chulhas with the women of the family. Today, as I perform the havan with 108 bel patta, I ensure those exact traditional methods and microscopic details are preserved. It is a labor of pure love, much like preparing for a daughter's wedding," she concludes.

For Filmy Town readers, Pallaavii Chatterjee’s grand 150-year-old Kojagari Laxmi Pujo stands as a beautiful reminder that no matter how far one travels in stardom, real glamour lies in staying rooted to one's core authenticity.

Hungama OTT Launches Snow Bride, A Suspenseful Crime Drama Where a Dark Secret Lies Behind a Himalayan Legend

Hungama OTT launched its latest original series Snow Bride on October 22, bringing audiences an intense suspense crime drama set in a remote Himalayan village where fear, blind faith, and a chilling mystery go hand in hand. Led by Bhumika Gurung, Shivam Bhaargava, Manul Chudasama, and Inderjeet Modi in key roles, the six-episode series explores a community haunted by the legend of the Yeti, where the disappearance of young women has become an unsettling reality, and one woman dares to challenge what everyone else believes.

In this village, the missing women are spoken of as “brides of the Yeti”, and their disappearances are met with a troubling acceptance shaped by fear, faith, and generations of belief. But when Purva begins questioning the stories that the villagers have long accepted without protest, she finds herself drawn into a mystery that grows more unsettling with every unanswered question. As suspicion builds and long-held beliefs begin to feel less certain, her search for truth becomes increasingly dangerous. Snow Bride explores the fragile boundary between faith and fear, asking what happens when a legend becomes so powerful that nobody dares to question the reality behind it.

Talking about her character, Bhumika Gurung shares, “What fascinated me about Purva was that she is not someone who can simply accept an explanation because everyone around her believes it. She wants to understand what is happening, even when asking questions makes her stand apart from the people around her. Playing that determination alongside the fear and uncertainty she encounters was something I really enjoyed exploring. What I find interesting about Snow Bride is that the audience is discovering the mystery alongside her, and I am excited for viewers to follow her journey and question what they believe they know about this village.”

Shivam Bhaargava adds, “Snow Bride has a very intriguing premise. The setting as well as the legend, whose stories a lot of us have grown up with, create a sense of unease even before you know what is really happening. The story keeps you questioning what people believe, what they choose not to see, and what might be hiding beneath the surface. Being part of a crime drama that gradually peels back these layers was an interesting experience, and I am looking forward to audiences discovering how the mystery unfolds.”

Sharing her thoughts on the series, Manul Chudasama notes, “What makes Snow Bride stand out is that the mystery is not limited to the legend of the Yeti. There is a much darker reality behind what the villagers have come to accept, and that is what gives the story its unsettling edge. As an actor, the series gave me the opportunity to explore a world where appearances and assumptions can be misleading, and I am curious to see how audiences interpret the characters as they discover more about the story.”

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Inderjeet Modi says, “What drew me to Snow Bride is that the tension comes not only from what is happening, but also from what people choose to believe or question. When an entire community believes in something, challenging that belief is never simple, and that creates an interesting dynamic for the characters. The crime element adds another layer to the mystery, and I believe audiences will be drawn to the way the story challenges their assumptions as it unfolds.”