2 weeks Ago
As soon as actor Avinash Tiwary and his sister, producer Swati Tiwary get together for our interview, their one upmanship is palpable. “Swati is about 5 years younger to me,” he starts, and instantly Swati adds, “This is the first time that he is setting the record straight that he is the elder one. I don't know why social media has this confusion that I am the elder one but I'm glad that today you have cleared it.
” However, her brother states, “I don't mind people thinking that you are the older one, I enjoy that.” The playful sibling duo is all excited to celebrate Bhai Dooj , and the mention of the festival brings back some sweet memories. “She would do this ritual that happens more in Bihar, where the sister makes the brother eat bajri (pearl millet) and then she kind of curses the brother, followed by pinching their tongue with a thorn.
Then they say a phrase in our native tongue which means ‘if you eat the bajri you will become as strong as the grain. And if you don't give a gift, then you'll become poor’,” Avinash recalls, and right away, Swati informs, “That gift for me has never come till date. I am glad that he is only becoming richer, but I hope that with all that wealth, some day some gift comes that compensates for all these years.
However, till date, we meet every year on Bhai Dooj and I do a little arti and also sing a song for him.” Swati shares that Avinash has always been a “protective and traditional brother”. “Growing up, he had this teenage phase where he became like this gunda.
We were in the same school, and if even by accident some guy would push me, he would hold that guy and start punching him. He's grown to be comparatively more chill, but he's still that older brother,” she shares. A post shared by Swati Tiwary (@swatitiwary) Avinash responds to it saying, “Ab behen aapke liye bhai dooj kar rahi hai aur koi random aadmi aake dhakka deke chale jaye aur tum kuch na karo, to kaise bhai hue?” However, has one complaint: “All throughout my childhood, I have shared my heart out to her.
But for some reason, the elder sibling ends up sharing everything about their life and the younger one keeps everything to themself.” But he adds, “Even though she's younger to me, I have always said that she is like my choti mummy. And even in her phone, she has saved my name as potential father.
So, we both have this kind of protective bond.” Ask Avinash about that one thing that he loves about his sister, and he shares, “Everyone around me tells me ‘ye aapse bahut zyada vyahvarik hain’. She is someone who really keeps everyone around together.
When she got married, my parents missed her walking into the room because she just brightens our day.” However, he does find one quality of her intolerable: “I am not a morning person, but as soon as she wakes up, she's on. She just continuously blabbers in my ears.
I don't know how I've tolerated it all these years and strangely, I still do.” Giving it back, Swati shares her complaint as she says, “He's not punctual at all. He is very laid back and lazy.
” But she also shares how he inspires her: “I'm really inspired by who he is, what he does and the choices that he really makes in his life, not only professionally but also personally. My judgment of right and wrong comes from my dad and him.” A post shared by Swati Tiwary (@swatitiwary) As soon as their dad is mentioned, Avinash admits that he has been the lesser-loved child in the family.
“My dad is 100% on Swati’s side, while my mum is 50% mine and 50% Swati’s. My life is all about asking my mother to give me 1% more love than my sister. So, she has 150% from them, I have 50%,” he says, while Swati quips, “Imagine, after all this fame and success, he is still at 50.
” Swati insists that her brother has set “very high standards” for her with his personal and professional successes. But she also takes her credit in it. “When he was struggling and things were not working, I have walked bare feet and gone to Siddhivinayak Temple multiple times and prayed for him,” she shares, adding, “Trying to again remind that after all this fame and after all this work, no present has come.
I'm not even hinting anymore. I've crossed that line, I'm directly saying that now.” Ask them about this year’s plan for Bhai Dooj and Swati shares, “One wonderful thing that has happened— wonderful for me as he is not very happy about it— is that now we stay only like one minute away from each other.
So, for Bhai Dooj, I'll ask him to come over and we'll do our rituals. When I was not married, I never cooked for him and he always cribbed about it. So, Bhai Dooj is just one day when he comes over, and I make sure that I cook something for him.
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