Vatsal Sheth will not travel to Gujarat for Uttarayan this year. The actor usually celebrates the kite festival in his home state. This time, he plans to stay in Mumbai with his family.
Family Comes First for Uttarayan
Vatsal Sheth and his wife, actress Ishita Dutta Sheth, welcomed their baby girl Veda in June last year. The couple feels excited about Veda's first Uttarayan celebration. However, Veda is too young for travel. So, the family will celebrate the festival at their Mumbai home.
"We are excited as it's Veda's first Uttarayan celebration," Vatsal says. He usually travels to Gujarat to fly kites. He either celebrates with cousins in Bhavnagar or flies kites in Ahmedabad. This year, he will miss the Gujarat celebrations.
Memories of Gujarat Celebrations
Vatsal Sheth recalls fond memories of Uttarayan in Gujarat. He remembers celebrating at his friend Apoorva Lakhia's house in Ahmedabad. Apoorva Lakhia is a filmmaker. Vatsal also enjoys celebrating with relatives in Bhavnagar.
"Nothing can match the joy of being a part of witnessing the magic of the festival in the pols," he shares. Pols are traditional housing clusters in Gujarat. The actor admits he will miss the vibrant atmosphere.
Festive Treats from Mom
Vatsal Sheth's mother prepared special treats for Uttarayan. He kept pestering her for aadu paak, which is adrak ka halwa. She made it, and he finds it delicious. She also makes amazing til chikkis, peanut chikkis, and murmura chikkis.
The actor loves eating traditional Gujarati dishes during the festival. He mentions undhiyu, mathiya, and cholafali as his favorites. These foods add to the festive spirit for him.
Introducing Son Vaayu to Kites
Vatsal Sheth will introduce his son Vaayu to kites this Uttarayan. Vaayu once accompanied him to the terrace during kite flying. The boy started throwing tantrums and crying because he wanted to fly kites too.
"While I will show him how to fly kites, I am not sure if I should allow him to fly one," Vatsal explains. He notes that kids have very tender skin. Vaayu is too young, so they must be careful.
Passion for Kite Flying
Vatsal Sheth loves flying kites passionately. He even carries kites and firkis to film sets during Uttarayan. Firkis are spools used for kite strings. He remembers visiting kite markets with friends before the festival.
They would carefully select which kites to buy three or four days in advance. His friends and cousins bought good-quality kites and manjha from Surat for him. Manjha is the special string used for kite flying. They also purchased finger protection gloves.
"I will miss being on the terrace for the entire day, shouting 'lapet' and 'kai po che'," Vatsal says. These are common exclamations during kite battles in Gujarat.
Recent Milestones and Fatherhood
Vatsal Sheth feels grateful for recent achievements. Symbolically, Uttarayan represents soaring high. The last few months have been pretty amazing for him. He and his wife were blessed with their daughter Veda.
He finally made his debut in Gujarati films with Surprise last year. This was a long-cherished goal for the actor. He also started his own AI company recently.
"Being a father to two young kids keeps you really busy, and I am enjoying being a good dad," Vatsal shares with a smile. He loves spending time with Vaayu and Veda. The actor finds joy in his family life amidst his professional successes.
