Raksha Bandhan special: Abhimanyu Dassani and Avantika open up about their Tom and Jerry sibling bond

On Raksha Bandhan, actor Bhagyashree’s children -- actors Abhimanyu Dassani and Avantika -- walk us through their relationship, saying they have a most cherished bond.

They might irritate each other, fight over little things and might not often be on the same page. But the one thing that they can’t do is stay away from each other. And this sums up the bond of actors Abhimanyu Dassani and Avantika, who mention that they cherish the big celebration at home during the festival.

Abhimanyu Dassani and Avantika ensure they are together to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with their family

When it comes to celebrating Rakshabandha, the actors, who are children of actor Bhagyashree, reveal that their family goes big, with all the cousins dropping in at their house and enjoying the whole day bingeing on good food and good content. “We usually have a traditional family lunch at our home with rasawala aloo and puris, where the cousins gather and spend the afternoon laughing and eating till we need a nap,” says Abhimanyu, who is five years elder to Avantika.

IT’S ALL ABOUT BEING IN THE FAMILY

According to the duo, being with the family is important on the festival, as it is a reminder of the strings of love and compassion which connect them with each other.

“The festival is a necessary reminder for one of those relationships we take most for granted. It’s a reminder of responsibility and of love. Even if you’re going through a disagreement, which siblings always do, and don’t like each other, Raksha Bandhan reminds you that you love each other,” says the Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021) actor.

That’s why they go big, as Avantika mentions, “We usually have a big lunch with all our cousins together. We usually spend the day together. That day it is about us being one big fat Indian family”.

THAT UNIQUE YET FAVOURITE RAKHI GIFT

It’s not always about materialistic things that turn out to be the favourite Rakhi gift, and that stands true for the brother and sister. It’s because the most special one in their life has come with a lot of thought, and reflects their bond as well.

“If I recall, the most thoughtful gift that I have received from Abhimanyu has been the one time when he told me that he would not irritate me and annoy me for 48 hours straight. It has been the most peaceful gift that I have received from him till date,” she says with a chuckle,

In Abhimanyu’s case, it was the food she ordered for him. “The most special one was when she ordered all my favourite dishes from different restaurants for one wholesome super cheat meal. And I definitely overate,” he recalls.

THE TOM AND JERRY SIBLING BOND

“I have been the most protective of my sister from the very beginning. I love to irritate her as it is one of my hobbies. But if someone else makes her cry they might end up with a broken jaw,” he quips.

To this, Avantika adds, “There is a false idea that siblings evolve with age, at least in our case. I’m the lovely caring one and he’s the annoying one who relishes the ability to irritate me. However, the one day of Rakshanbandhan is sacred to me simply because he has no choice but to be nice”.

GROWING CLOSER WITH TIME

When it comes to describing their relationship, they don’t take much time to mention that they have grown closer with time.

“All my brothers have taught me to fend for myself, made me stronger by being the bullies so I never have to get scared about life/others trying to bully me. They taught me to be tough. I am really grateful about it till date,” says Avantika, adding that she describes their relationship as “Die or Try. We’d either die for each other or try to kill each other”.

As an elder brother, Abhimanyu has a different view, as he mentions, “My bond with Avanika is more like protective and forever wala relationship”.

“That being said, our mother has ingrained values deep at our core throughout our childhood, when things seem rocky we look to each other for strength and always have each other’s back. And that is the most important and cherished thing about our bond,” he ends.