Actor Rukhsar Rehman: Lucknow still smells the same, the kid in me just takes over

For actor Rukhsar Rehman, Lucknow means memories of her as a kid visiting the city with her father. “Woh waqt toh nahi raha, but Lucknow still smells the same. Whenever I am here, I just soak in its warmth and emotions as it reminds me of my parents. The kid in me just takes over, and I let myself loose to enjoy and indulge in the best of delicacies,” she says.

Summer of 2025

With the sun in full action, the Khuda Hafiz 2 actor says she loves the summery platter here. “It’s funny that most of the time whenever I get to visit Lucknow, it’s in summers. The not-so-good part is that as it’s for a shoot, so I do not get to indulge in the savories like samosa, paani batasha, and the yummiest chaat in the world. Aloo tikki with dahi bhalla wins hands down for me. Royal Cafe’s basket chaat is finding lovers far and wide; I feel it’s those Awadhi flavors and spices that work wonders,” adds Rukhsar, who treated herself at the heart of the city, Hazratganj.

For the sweet tooth

Rukhsar shares that as she was setting off to Lucknow for a theatre project, her trainer had warned her against her sugar binging. “He told me ‘Kuch bhi khayega, but please avoid sugar binge,’ but kaun Lucknow ki kulfi and falooda miss kar sakta hai? Also, the flavors you get now include rose, jamun, chocolate, and whatnot — so how could I have missed it?”

Chikankari fan!

With the city being the hub of different embroidery, and chikankari being a favourite, Rukhsar too ended up shopping for home linen with some amazing handwork.

“I am a big fan of chikankari sarees and dupattas and have plenty, but it still feels kam hai. This time, I had decided to buy decor stuff — chikankari decor pieces, kitchen trays, cushion covers, and curtains — to add that perfect Lucknavi touch to my home in Mumbai,” she says on a signing off note.