Huma Qureshi had once decided to stay off 'Gulab Jamun', but couldn't resist taking a bite at luscious sweetmeat ‘Rasagola’. She had been signed as lead actress for the film 'Gulab Jamun' in 2016.
The Bollywood actress who held the stage at ‘OTV Foresight 2022’ on Friday had a close-up with the sweet poser "Rasgulla belongs to Odisha or West Bengal?" Post the delivery of the sweet ball, the actress sporting a tight-lipped smile, with eyes down, remained silent for some seconds.
And moments later, lobbed the poser “Whether it is Rasagola or Rasgulla? With the cheering audience on their chairs, showing her witty side, Qureshi said point-blankly, "I think I have already given my answer." But she had been squared to the fact that she is evading a clear-cut response, a laughing Querishi showed her sweet stamp.
"I want to declare through the channel that Rasagola belongs to Odisha,” she declared in her trademark bold ways. Though her approval to sweetmeat had come in the settings of lighter mood, the actress' statement was seen as big in the backdrop of the sweet feud between Odisha and West Bengal’s over the proprietary rights of the sweet delicacy- Rasagola.
“Rasagola is in everyone’s heart and it belongs to everyone. Give me a tin of Rasagola since I lost my chance of getting one from there,” said Qureshi in a lighter vein adding that ‘Kheer Kadam’ is her favourite sweet dish.
The versatile Bollywood actress' statement has nevertheless, activated internet memers with netizens thanking the ‘Maharani’ actress for making the endorsement.
It is pertinent to mention here that after a bittersweet battle over the origin of the delectable Rasagola with Odisha, West Bengal was given the (Geographical Indicator) GI tag for Banglara Rosogolla, the state’s alleged variant of the syrupy dessert in November 2017.
Later, the bitter war over the Rasagola appeared to have subsided as the GI tag was granted to Odisha on July 30, 2019 for the ‘Odisha Rasagola’, less than two years after West Bengal won its own GI tag for the delectable eastern sweet.