For Riteish Deshmukh, Makar Sankranti has always existed in such fragments rather than formal rituals. In 2021, the actor spoke about how the same day then looks different. Not louder or bigger, just slower and more intentional. What once meant chasing stray kites now means standing still long enough to teach.
Kite flying then and now
Speaking to the Times of India in 2021, Deshmukh shared that Makar Sankranti would be a family affair. He said he planned to fly kites with his sons, Riaan and Rahyl, and enjoy traditional sweets. “My kids are at the age where they will understand the activity. Last year (2020), we did try our hands at it, but this year (2021), I am going all out to teach them to make kites and fly them.”The actor added that the celebration would also include homemade tilgul, the sesame sweet exchanged on the festival. Quoting the familiar phrase, he said, “Tilgul ghya, god god bola.” (Taking sweets and speaking sweetly)
Kite flying in Mumbai
Deshmukh also reflected on how kite flying was never a tradition in his hometown. His family hails from Latur, where Makar Sankranti was observed without much emphasis on kites. “Though kite-flying happens mainly in Gujarat, it has been adapted well in Mumbai, too. My father hailed from Latur where they didn’t emphasize so much on flying kites on that day, so I learnt it from my peers in Mumbai.”He recalled growing up in a government bungalow during his father Vilasrao Deshmukh’s time as Maharashtra’s chief minister. Afternoons after school meant rushing to the terrace. Friends followed. The focus was not always on skill. “My friends would also come over to fly kites, but more than flying them, we would be busy chasing kites that would come crashing into our space.”Those memories shape how he shows up for the festival now, as a father. In 2020, his sons tried flying kites for the first time. In 2021, he planned to take it further and help them make the kites as well. Over time, his place in the tradition has changed. He is no longer just part of the rooftop crowd. He is the one teaching, steadying hands, and turning the fun into a lesson.
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