- Rupali Ganguly attended the RSS centenary celebration alongside celebrities like Salman Khan and Karan Johar
- Ganguly, the star of Anupamaa, said meeting Mohan Bhagwat was a "fan moment"
- "I didn't realise Mohan Bhagwat ji has such a great sense of humour. It was delightful," the actor said
Over the weekend, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) marked 100 years of its journey with a two-day celebration attended by several prominent names from the film industry, including Karan Johar, Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty. Representing the television industry at the event was actor Rupali Ganguly, who spoke to NDTV about the honour of being invited, her experience at the gathering, and the controversy surrounding celebrity attendance.
Ganguly, the star of Anupamaa and one of India's highest-paid television actors, says she felt "honoured" to be part of the celebrations and described the occasion as deeply meaningful.
"It was a surreal experience. It was an honour to be part of hundred years of RSS," she said, adding that getting the opportunity to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat made the moment especially significant.
"It was my good fortune that I was invited for this momentous occasion. Also, that I got the opportunity to meet and have a conversation with Mohan Bhagwat ji. It was a big fan moment for me," she gushed.
Addressing the controversy around celebrities attending the event, Ganguly, who joined the BJP in 2024, strongly rejected suggestions that public figures were compelled to be present. "What rubbish. The Opposition's job is to oppose. I don't think anyone was forced to do anything. Everyone was more than happy to attend."
Explaining her own participation, the actor said she had taken time off from shooting to attend. "In fact, I wish I could have attended both days, but Anupamaa is telecast seven days a week. So I had managed to get just one day off. I did so because members of the Sangh came to our Anupamaa set and invited me and the director with so much love and respect."
Perceptions
Reflecting on what she had heard about the organisation over the years, Ganguly said, "We have always heard that wherever there has been a catastrophe, natural calamity or crisis, the Sangh has reached there first to help people."
She also spoke about her childhood perception of the RSS. "As children, we only knew about the Sangh as people who wear a uniform, which was khaki shorts, a white shirt, and a Nehru cap, which is also khaki coloured. And then, slowly, we got to know that these are people who are always ready to help others."
On the ideological associations, she said, "Whenever one is talking about the country, a thought process or Hinduism, they are called 'Sanghis'. But they don't know what it takes to be a Sanghi. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh believes in selfless service without seeing which religion or caste you belong to."
Calling the gathering meaningful, Ganguly added, "It's important to talk about this. It is something to be celebrated. I am proud that I was there at the event, very, very proud that I got together with like-minded people."
She also recalled her interaction with Mohan Bhagwat, highlighting what she described as his lighter side. "I didn't realise Mohan Bhagwat ji has such a great sense of humour. It was delightful. He was asked questions and all his answers had a touch of humour. We were all suitably entertained and we were focused. Everybody was enjoying the whole session."
