This Eid-ul-Fitr may seem quite different from last year’s for Danish Pandor due to the success of Dhurandhar The Revenge, but he insists that the gratitude in his heart remains the same. The actor says, “The gratitude has always been there irrespective of the success as that is just a part of the journey. The most important thing is that you wake up in the morning, and you are hale, hearty and healthy and that is what you should be utterly grateful for. I was grateful even last year, I'm extremely grateful this year and I will continue to be so in the future,” he says.
Eid and the month of Ramzan hold a special place in Danish Pandor’s heart and he keeps all the rozas and follows the traditions of the month. “The beautiful month of Ramzan, it's more about self-control, detoxifying yourself and your entire body, and at the same time, trying to resist worldly desires. It’s like the almighty telling you when you need to eat and when to stop. It is more about purity of your body and soul and about community building as well,” he says.
Food makes a large part of what makes Eid celebrations special for Danish and he shares, “There is a feast and the food being served comes with a different feeling. So many of my friends actually call me just before Ramzan to ask me what is being cooked at your place. It feels so good to have a celebration the entire month. I have got a sweet tooth and it is difficult to control. Sevain is my favourite, I like sheer khurma too but sevain is my absolute go-to.” The actor adds that even his childhood memories of Eid are associated with food. “When I was growing up and we used to fast, me and my brother used to look forward to what is there during Iftar. We used to come back from school and just wait to see what all is being cooked. In the sehri, we would have egg, paratha and tea. Rooh Afza used to be our favourite and we would consume it in various forms. Now, I have to be more careful of what I eat while breaking my fast due to my profession, but I miss the lack of worry we used to have as a child,” he insists.
{{/usCountry}}Food makes a large part of what makes Eid celebrations special for Danish and he shares, “There is a feast and the food being served comes with a different feeling. So many of my friends actually call me just before Ramzan to ask me what is being cooked at your place. It feels so good to have a celebration the entire month. I have got a sweet tooth and it is difficult to control. Sevain is my favourite, I like sheer khurma too but sevain is my absolute go-to.” The actor adds that even his childhood memories of Eid are associated with food. “When I was growing up and we used to fast, me and my brother used to look forward to what is there during Iftar. We used to come back from school and just wait to see what all is being cooked. In the sehri, we would have egg, paratha and tea. Rooh Afza used to be our favourite and we would consume it in various forms. Now, I have to be more careful of what I eat while breaking my fast due to my profession, but I miss the lack of worry we used to have as a child,” he insists.
{{/usCountry}}It’s more of a celebration this Eid for Danish as Dhurandhar The Revenge releases around this time. Mention it to him and he says, “Not just Eid, but Gudi Padwa and Navratri are also there. It’s three festivals happening together, and that's the best thing that has happened to me. Someone told me that along with the festivals, Dhurandhar mahotsav ho raha hai. Cinema halls are actually celebrating the release of the film, people are showering so much love on it everywhere, what else do you want. Sabka mahotsav ek saath ho raha hai and sab taraf se aashirwad aur dua aa rahi hain, to woh bas aane do.”
But how has he been navigating the popularity and success that Dhurandhar bought him? “That’s just a part of life, and being humbled and staying grounded is important. You just need to look forward to another part of work. You are just as good as your last movie. I am just looking out for another project, working on it and making sure that I am not disappointing the audience that have loved me so much. I feel surreal, it is overwhelming and I'm extremely grateful to everyone, but the responsibility has also increased that I shouldn’t disappoint my audience,” he ends.