For me, chai is deeply emotional and nostalgic: Eesha Rebba

For actor Eesha Rebba, chai is inseparable from memory, emotion, and the rhythms of everyday life. “Making chai for myself has become a small personal ritual, especially during moments when I’m overthinking or simply need to slow down. Now, it’s almost therapeutic for me,” she says, reflecting on how a simple cup of ginger and elaichi tea gradually became her pause button amid hectic schedules and everyday chaos. On International Tea Day, the actor sat down with Hyderabad Times over a cup of — well, chai — to talk about Hyderabad’s iconic tea culture, friendship catch-ups, monsoon cravings, and the quiet comfort she continues to find in the ritual.


‘Irani chai and Hyderabad evenings are memories I carry with me’
For Eesha, growing up in Hyderabad meant growing up around chai. “Being born and brought up in Hyderabad, chai was never just a beverage for me; it was part of the city’s rhythm,” she says. “Growing up, every corner of the city had its own chai story, its own regular crowd, its own flavour. Some of my best memories go back to my college days, sitting with friends over cups of Irani chai, spending hours talking about life without ever realising how much time had passed,” she says. “As life moved through different phases, so did my chai choices — from strong Irani chai at old cafés to comforting ginger tea during quieter moments.”

‘Making chai for my dad was where it all started’
Eesha says her own relationship with tea began unexpectedly at home. “One of my most vivid memories is making chai for my dad for the very first time,” she recalls. “Until then, I had never actually tasted tea myself. My mom would always make chai for him, and I was always fascinated by the aroma that filled the house. One day, she asked me to make chai for him, and I added ginger to it. It turned out really well, and my dad absolutely loved it,” she says. “From then on, I slowly got addicted to chai — especially ginger tea with a hint of elaichi.”
Over time, the process itself became comforting. “Whenever I had free time or found myself overthinking, making a cup of chai became my little comfort ritual.”

‘Tea has quietly become the centre of all my friendships’
Despite hectic schedules, Eesha says chai remains a constant in her friendships. “Whenever the girls and I plan a catch-up — especially my friends from the industry — there’s always tea involved. It’s almost like an unspoken ritual now,” she says.
“Since we’re all part of the same industry, our conversations naturally drift towards work, acting, films, co-stars, career anxieties, exciting opportunities,” she says. “It becomes this safe space where everyone is venting, laughing, overthinking, and motivating each other all at once.”
And somewhere along the way, the cups keep piling up unnoticed. “We never realise how many cups we’ve ordered until the table is suddenly full of empty glasses and teacups,” she says with a laugh.

‘Every time I have ginger tea, it reminds me of my mother’
Tea also remains deeply tied to memories of her mother, who passed away in 2016. “Even today, every time I have ginger tea or elaichi chai, it instantly reminds me of her,” Eesha says. “Tea was always more than just a drink in our home; it was tied to conversations, comfort, and quiet life lessons. My mother would make chai for me and my sisters while talking to us about life, confidence, patience, and becoming independent women. She herself was a very strong and independent person, and I think those moments stayed with me deeply,” Eesha says, signing off.

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