Kranti Prakash Jha on PM Narendra Modi sharing his Chhath song: It’s so humbling; Sharda Sinha didi sang it beautifully | Hindustan Times
Actor Kranti Prakash Jha calls this year’s Chhath Puja“extra special” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the song Pahile Pahil Chhathi Maiya (2016), which featured him and was sung by the late Sharda Sinha.
Actor Kranti Prakash Jha and the in the still from song Pahile Pahil Chhathi Maiya, sung by the late Sharda Sinha, that was shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi (inset)
“It’s very humbling that someone like the Prime Minister is acknowledging our sanskriti and parampara,” says Kranti. “It’s also a beautiful tribute to Sharda didi, who may not be with us today, but her voice remains immortal, you can’t think of Chhath without her,” he adds.
The actor, known for MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) and the OTT series Bindiya Ke Bahubali, recalls how the song struck a deep emotional chord when it released.
“People from the US, Europe, and other countries have told me they travelled home to celebrate Chhath after watching it. It’s about a migrant returning to his roots. We go out and work in different places, so all those people connect with the emotions. The Chhath Puja period is the time I recharge myself for the whole year,” he says and that the song has over hundred million views across different platforms.
For Kranti, celebrating Chhath at home in Begusarai is non-negotiable. Talking about his rituals, he adds, “Wearing a dhoti-kurta is mandatory. I go to the ghat for the puja and the rituals begin. The next day we get kheer ka prasad. I deeply admire the resilience of our women who observe this fast, it truly is the mother of all pujas.”
Kranti waits all year for thekua, the traditional offering. “We eat thekua through the year, but on this day, it tastes divine. My nani made the best thekua in the world but now my mai and mami have taken the craft forward,” he says.
Explaining his connect, he says, “I am a Maitha, I speak Maithili, and my mother keeps me very connected to my roots. We are in the glamour industry, but it’s very important to keep the andar ka glamour intact.”
The Raktanchal actor concludes, “This festival is about worshipping nature and celebrating it, and Chhath Maiya blesses all. Also, another great thing about it is that the festival is a great equaliser; people from all classes of society celebrate it in the same way.”
