Brothers who lived up to their Rakhi promises

Having a sibling is a blessing. While they can be exasperating at times, they are also the first ones to rally around you when in distress. On Raksha Bandhan today, television actresses recall the time their celebrity brothers fulfilled the obligation attached to the resham ki dori and protected them...
Krushna Abhishek and Arti Singh
Though these siblings lived in two different houses as kids, Arti and Krushna are thick as thieves now.Incidentally, the doting sister wasn’t too kicked with the idea of Krushna dating Kashmera (Shah) and bad-mouthed her to a common friend. Kashmera got to hear of it and confronted her. “Both Kashmera and I are straightforward and prefer to call a spade, a spade. I developed cold feet when I realised that she knew that I had been talking about her. But when she confronted me, my brother stepped in and vouched for me, saying that I have always supported him and could never have spoken ill about his girlfriend. Kashmera and I have come close since that incident; she is now my best friend and I love her.”
Pooja Gor and Naman Gor
Pooja feels that her younger sibling Naman has started taking up for her now. “He shifted to Mumbai to live with me after being apart for eight years. And now he has actually taken charge of my fitness and has become my personal trainer at the gym. He has also taken charge of the house. Even though he is my younger brother, he is no less than an elder one. Besides, he makes a very good travel buddy. We had gone on our first trip together to Manali. The next on the list is Ladakh”.
Disha Vakani and Mayur Vakani

Vakani siblings are not only brother and sister for real, but also on reel with the TV serial Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. While Mayur is elder than Disha in real life, he plays her younger brother in the show. “No sister could be luckier than me as I get to tie the Rakhi twice — one at home and the other, on the show,” quips the actress, adding, “As a senior in theatre, he has saved me from my director’s ire on numerous occasions.”
There have been times though, when Disha has saved her brother from her parents. Mayur recalls, “I am a foodie and have a terrible sweet tooth. so I would finish the whole box of sweets at one go. Sometimes, I would eat her share too. My mother would get angry when there would be nothing left for the guests, but Disha used to come to my rescue then.”
Varun Badola and Alka Kaushal
It might come as a surprise to many that Varun Badola and Alka Kaushal are siblings, but one look at them and the resemblance is hard to miss. Says Alka, “The resemblance is so marked that even those who don’t know we are related say, ‘Oh! you and Varun are siblings’. My co-actors in Swaragini call me ‘Varun’ just for fun.” About living up to his brotherly duties, Alka says that Varun has always been with her as a strong support. She says, “I can’t name just one instance. My brother Varun has always been there like a wall, a solid support system and this is no exaggeration.”
Bhakhtyar Irani and Delnaaz Irani

Delnaaz fondly calls her brother ‘Baktu’. She says, “Baktu is bindaas. And he could kill when it comes to protecting me. Though he doesn’t interfere in my personal life, he is my 2 am friend.” While the siblings may differ in their approach towards life, the bond between them is unbreakable. Bhakhtyar is always there for his sister, no questions asked. Recounts Delnaaz, “I remember being badly stuck with the concept of a solo dance in the last lap of a dance reality show. Baktu left all his work for that week and convinced me that I could kill it with an out-of-the-box performance. I followed his vision and attempted heavy-duty lifts which went against my cute image. Everyone was taken aback and I got the highest scores. I can’t forget the hard work my brother put in for me; it was sweet of him.”
Akshay Dogra and Ridhi Dogra
Ridhi says, “My brother (Akshay Dogra) bailed me out in school on several occasions. Our parents were strict about breaking rules. I remember this one time when I was in tenth, my parents were furious when I got late from school. I was with my friends and completely lost track of time. Even though my brother was quite angry with me, he didn’t let my parents know anything and in fact, saved me from getting punished. What a scary spot I had put myself in that day.”