Anup, Nikhil and Hiba enjoy Lucknow ki sardi

Prachi Arya
Actors Nikhil Khurana, Anup Upadhyay and Hiba Nawab, who were recently in Lucknow to promote their show 'Jijaji Chhat Per Hain', enjoyed the cold weather in the city. The trio, who were greeted by a thick fog at the Lucknow airport, scurried around opening their suitcases to get out more woollens to wear before they went to the hotel. On their way to the hotel, the three actors stopped at the Ambedkar Park in Gomti Nagar to beat the cold and take a stroll in the open space there.
Enroute, Anup, Hiba and Nikhil made a pit stop at a roadside dhaba to have some chai. "This garma-garam chai is tasting so good in this cold," said Hiba, who belongs to Bareilly. For the pretty girl, who’s earlier been seen in shows like 'Tere Shehar Mein', this cold weather was a welcome change from the hot and humid weather of Mumbai. "Since I hail from Bareilly, toh I am very much familiar with this weather. It’s just amazing here. Kafi khoobsurat lag raha hai aise thand mein ghoomna. Mumbai main aisi thand nahi hoti hai so all the jackets and sweaters which we never wore, are being used here today,” said she, adding, “Sometimes I really miss this cold weather in Mumbai."
For Nikhil too, a Chandigarh boy, the chill and fog reminded him of his hometown. “I have been missing this feeling as it’s been years since I have gone to Chandigarh during winters. So the experience of this chilly weather is just amazing. I’m loving this chill” said he. Anup compared the cold weather with the warmth that is seen in the people of Lucknow, “Luknow ki sardi kamaal ki hai. When we were inside the plane and were about to land in Lucknow, we were told that the outside temperature was 9 degrees, toh dil thoda sa kaanp gaya. Now since there is sunlight, the cold is bearable," said he.
The three actors, although loving the cold weather in the city, warmed themselves up at a roadside make-shift bonfire in front of Ambedkar Park in Gomti Nagar (BCCL/ Vishnu Jaiswal)
Anup, better known as Mamaji of 'Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain', adds, "People here are warm and the weather is cold. So, this perfect amalgamation is what makes me come to Lucknow every time. Main teen saal baad Lucknow aa raha hoon aur jo pyaar yahan milta hai, it’s just magical. Lucknow ko toh main theatre ke zamaane se jaanta hoon, when I used to come here for my plays. This time, at the airport, people stopped me and asked me 'Aap wahi hai na jo Bhabhi Ji Ghar Par Hain mein hain? Aajkal aap London main taxi nahi chalwa rahe hain?' This kind of attention makes me feel successful as an actor. One will not feel out of place when they are here in Lucknow because of the warmth that people share here."
As for Nikhil, for whom it was his first visit to the city, he was just mesmerised by the beauty of Lucknow and the parks here. "I have fallen in love with the landscape and architecture of Lucknow. As a Chandigarh guy, I can very well connect with the city as Lucknow is as neat and clean as my hometown. The Gomti Nagar area is just breathtaking. Who gets to see such open spaces and parks in Mumbai?" said Nikhil, adding, "One peculiar thing which I found here was that the cops here are not strict and people are driving on the wrong side and the cops are just standing watching and are so cool about it."
Hiba, who has visited Lucknow a couple of times in the past, had some fond memories of the city. “I am coming back here after eight months and I feel like a regular visitor. Lucknow is one of my favourite cities not just because of the architecture, but also because of the food. I am a huge fan of chikan suits. I remember when I came here last, I bought a suit for my mother and myself for Eid."
— Prachi Arya