Chhaava stars Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandana perform ardas at the Golden Temple before the film’s release

For Bollywood’s favourite Punjabi munda, Vicky Kaushal, coming to Amritsar is like homecoming. “Amritsar is very special. It is my home, my pind. My native village is in Hoshiarpur and I have a history with this city,” he shared with a smile as bright as his starched, styled, white kurta, as he along with Rashmika Mandana paid obeisance at the Golden Temple on Monday.

The moment he got out of the car, he addressed the scribes and his fans gathered outside the Golden Temple plaza with an affectionate, “Hor Ki Haal Aa.” Rashmika, who looked beautiful in a pink Anarkali suit, accompanied him as they performed ardas along with the Chhaava team for the upcoming film’s success.

“I begin anything new in my life after paying my respects at the Golden temple. It’s a ritual for me,” said Vicky. That’s true! Everytime he has a film lined up for release, Vicky makes sure he comes to the Golden Temple and he has followed this ritual since his life changing blockbuster Uri—The Surgical Strike.

Khana yahan itna swaad hai…

Rashmika, who arrived on a wheelchair, and Vicky later went do the next favourite thing on Vicky’s list of ‘when in Amritsar, gorge on some hot crispy paranthas and kulchas at Bhrawan Da Dhaba’. “Khana yahan itna swaad hai ki mein photo khichwana bhool jata hoon (the food is so tasty that I forget to get pictures clicked),” Vicky explained, as the foodie in him took over to finish that plate of hot paranthas and Dal Makhni.

An immersive actor to watch on screen and a chameleon, who gets into the skin of his character, be it transforming into Shaheed Udham Singh or getting the nuances of playing the legendary Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw delightfully right, Vicky has described Chhaava as the most difficult role of his career so far.

Confessing that he has given his ‘all’ to the film, he slips into the character of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the great Maratha warrior and son of Shivaji, in the Laxman Utekar film, which releases this Valentine’s Day (February 14). The buzz about the movie is so high that the makers have started booking five days in advance and it is touted as one of the most-anticipated films this year already.

Maybe the reason why the actor, Vicky, decided to seek some peace before the box- office madness begins!