Urmila Matondkar is all pepped up for her birthday this year as it will be the first time when she will get to connect with fans on social media on her special day. “I’m doing a Facebook and Insta live session, because for so many years I had stayed away from social media. My social media accounts are newer than most of my colleagues’, so, I thought it will be really nice. I’ve done it for movies and promotions but It will be the first time ever that I will connect with fans through a virtual one-on-one session; so that will be quite exciting.”

Apart from experimenting with a digital get-together on her birthday, the ‘Rangeela’ actress also plans to continue the tradition of donating to charitable causes, which her parents had taught her as a child. “To be very honest, I’m not really a birthday person. Since my childhood we never really celebrated birthdays in a conventional manner. My parents used to make us understand that there are many people who need things in life more than us. And every year money was donated to social causes like Baba Amte’s Anandwan and many other such organisations across Maharashtra. The concept of a crazy lavish birthday celebration was never there. I am very excited for other people’s birthdays though and usually end up throwing parties for them, like my friends or family. But what happens, later on, is that fans call and everyone starts celebrating, so it becomes something else,” laughs the actress.

For her birthday this year, Urmila plans to keep it lowkey. “It is going to be one of those kinds of birthdays, when I will start off the day by distributing some sweets and food to kids. The elderly will be provided with blankets and other necessities. I love to start my day with a small pooja; more than religious, it’s a spiritual experience. Earlier, I used to visit the Siddhivinayak temple on my birthdays. Maybe this year too I will try to go there. It’s just beautiful to start the day in a spiritual manner, bowing down to the Almighty in gratitude for everything,” concludes Urmila.