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Ludhiana: Punjabis are a large hearted people, says Rahul Bose

By, Ludhiana
Nov 10, 2021 02:07 AM IST

Encouraging Ludhiana industrialists to take up philanthropy, Rahul Bose said Punjabis are generous by nature and the need of the hour was to tackle climate change to ensure the younger generation is not left with a broken planet

Actor Rahul Bose, who has carved a niche for himself in both mainstream and parallel cinema, was at his witty best as he enthralled women entrepreneurs and professionals in Ludhiana on Tuesday.

Actor Rahul Bose interacted with the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in Ludhiana and reminisced about his connect with Punjab and Punjabis. (HT PHOTO )
Actor Rahul Bose interacted with the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in Ludhiana and reminisced about his connect with Punjab and Punjabis. (HT PHOTO )

Reminiscing about his Punjabi connect at an event organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), which is the women’s wing of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Bose said, “My mother was half-Punjabi and I still cherish the days of my childhood spent with my Punjabi relatives. It is always lovely to connect with people of the three cultures I grew up with -- Maharashtra, Bengal and Punjab.”

“Till today, I sleep best when I hear women speaking Punjabi. My mother used to play cards, chew ‘paan’ and speak Punjabi with her friends in an air-conditioned room while I slept. I treasure those moments now,” he said.

“Punjabis are a large hearted people.It is wonderful to see people here working so generously ” Bose said, commending the Ludhiana industry for their philanthropic work.

Winning the ladies’ heart with his humbleness, Bose refused to sit on a special chair , saying it felt like a “throne” and insisted on sitting on an ordinary chair, the same as the audience.

The Bulbbul actor has been actively involved with numerous charities. Speaking about the six children he had adopted way back in 2007, Bose glowed with a parent’s pride as he said, “They are all studying in reputed educational institutions across the country. The eldest one is now 26. In the end, one just feels lots and lots of love and bonding.”

When FICCI chairperson Radhika Gupta asked him to choose between his two loves -- acting and direction -- Bose said, “I prefer direction any day of the year because you get an opportunity to show the people what is in your head. What could be more rewarding than when someone says ‘I totally got what you were trying to portray in that scene’,” he said, adding that he “absolutely loves acting”.

Not just directing and acting, Bose’s talents also extend to the sports field. It may come as a surprise to some that in 1998, Bose was a part of India’s first national rugby team to play in an international event _- the Asian Rugby Football Union Championship. “Don’t do something because you are bloody good at it, do something to become bloody good at it,” he said to thunderous applause.

He spoke about the practical principles of leadership that he had garnered through coaching, captaining a rugby team, helming an NGO and producing and directing films. At his candid best, he fielded his eager audience’s questions with aplomb. Asked if he could choose somebody else’s life whose life would he choose, pat came the response, “The life of a billionaire, so that I can do more philanthropic works.”

“How to actually use that money to set something in motion is crucial. We need to work on climate change. We are gifting the next generation a broken planet. It is scary,” he said, sombrely.

With whom would he like to be alone on an island? “Mahatama Gandhi so I can ask him lots and lots of questions,” he replied, admitting that it was certainly not the answer the ladies were looking for.

“Okay, Scarlett Johansson, maybe,” he quipped, setting the women laughing.

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