India, Oct. 18 -- Contd from page 1 For Rhea Chakraborty, Pujo brings back memories of family visits to Kolkata, pandal-hopping in Mumbai and friends gathering for festive meals. "Pujo has always had a lovely sense of warmth and togetherness for me. We used to visit Kolkata quite often to see my family, and I have fond memories of that connection. In Mumbai, we would visit the pandals close to home, have Bengali food at home, and friends would come over for lunch on Dashami. As you grow older, you realise that it's not necessarily the grandest celebrations you remember, but the feeling of being surrounded by people you love," she shares. And no Pujo celebration is complete without dressing up and indulging in Bengali delicacies. "I love dressing up, and I think festivals are a wonderful excuse to have fun with fashion. But I also love the food and the whole energy around Puja. I'm definitely someone who looks forward to eating my way through Kolkata. Phuchkas, egg rolls, bhapa ilish and sandesh are some of my favourites. Give me good food, family, friends and a festive atmosphere, and I'm very happy!" While she enjoys visiting pandals in Mumbai, the actor says the celebrations are about more than celebrity appearances. "What I find fascinating is how much thought and creativity go into the different themes and installations. Every pandal has its own personality. For me, it's more about the atmosphere and the feeling of community," she adds. Beyond the festivities, Chakraborty believes the celebration of feminine strength must also translate into everyday respect and safety for women. "Women shouldn't have to constantly think about what they're wearing, where they're going or what time they're coming home. Safety cannot be a woman's responsibility alone. We need better accountability, stronger systems, and a society that doesn't question a woman when she speaks up," she says. For the actor, empowerment also means allowing women to make choices without fear of judgement. "We celebrate strong women only in theory, but the moment a woman doesn't fit into a narrative that people are comfortable with, the response can be very different. Women are still expected to explain themselves, behave a certain way and make themselves palatable to others. Respect shouldn't be conditional on whether a woman makes choices that society agrees with. We need to allow women the freedom to be complicated, to make mistakes, to learn and to evolve, just as we allow men to," she adds. And what has life taught her about strength? "I've learnt how important it is to be able to stand on your own feet, trust your instincts and take responsibility for your life. Courage isn't always loud or dramatic," she signs off....