Cinema VinesShilpa Shetty Kundra’s latest Instagram reel, a high‑energy dance that bid farewell to the Ganesha idol she had brought home, has gone viral. The clip, filmed at her Mumbai residence, shows the actress moving to upbeat music while holding the deity, a gesture that has inspired numerous content creators to replicate the steps on their own reels.
Speaking to HT City, Shilpa explained that the performance was more than a social media stunt; it was her way of celebrating Ganpati while also coping with the bittersweet moment of sending him away. “Everybody dances. I mean, that’s the norm, right? You have to celebrate Bappa and send him with celebration,” she said. “I do it with that heart and that intent only. And while I think it’s also, in a way, trying to camouflage the sadness because it’s a dichotomy of emotions that he’s been at home, and then you have to bid him farewell. You do it in a way that makes him happy and makes your heart happy as well.”
The actress, who has been observing the festival for seventeen years, described the occasion as one of unconditional love. This year’s celebrations were made even more special by the presence of her in‑laws, who had flown in from London. “It was the first time that my sister‑in‑law, her children, my father‑in‑law, mother‑in‑law were also there,” she added, noting that her sister‑in‑law keeps a Ganpati idol at her London home, allowing the family to share the experience together.
Shilpa also highlighted her eco‑friendly approach this year. Rather than the traditional clay idol, she chose a lighter papier‑mâché version made by the same artisans who craft the famous Lalbaugcha Raja. “I have been telling him you need to start making it lighter. So he made it for me in papier‑mâché,” she said. She warned that the material requires extra care: “Even if you put, like, a wet garland, it can melt it, make it soft.”
The reel’s popularity has sparked a wave of fan‑made versions, with many users mimicking Shilpa’s choreography to honor Ganpati. The trend reflects the broader cultural practice of celebrating the deity with joy and creativity, while also acknowledging the emotional weight of the festival’s farewell ritual.
