Mumbai Dahi Handi 2026: Sanjay Dutt, Jeetendra and Suniel Shetty Attend Festive Events

Mumbai’s Dahi Handi celebrations brought film stars and Govinda pathaks together on Saturday, September 5, as Sanjay Dutt, veteran actor Jeetendra, Suniel Shetty and other celebrities attended major events across the city and neighbouring Thane.

Jeetendra appeared at the Dahi Handi programme organised by BJP MLA Ram Kadam in Ghatkopar, while Sanjay Dutt attended the Magathane celebration organised by Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Surve and Raj Prakash Surve in Borivali East. Suniel Shetty participated in a separate celebration in Thane.

The celebrity appearances were part of a much larger day of festivities in which thousands of Govindas participated in human-pyramid formations across Maharashtra.

Jeetendra Attends Ghatkopar Celebration

Jeetendra was welcomed at Ram Kadam’s Dahi Handi gathering in Ghatkopar, where music, performances and pyramid competitions formed part of the programme.

Speaking to reporters at the venue, the veteran actor credited the organisers’ affection for bringing him back to the celebration.

“It is their love that brings me here to the celebrations. They invite me here with so much warmth and love,” Jeetendra said.

His appearance attracted attention across generations, adding a touch of Hindi cinema nostalgia to the traditional celebration. Professional dancer Gautami Patil performed at the event, while actor Rajat Bedi was also among those in attendance.

Bedi said it was his first visit to the Ghatkopar celebration and indicated that he planned to make a special announcement. No verified details of that announcement were available at the time of writing.

Sanjay Dutt Greets a Large Crowd in Magathane

Sanjay Dutt attended the Magathane Dahi Handi festival at Devi Pada Ground in Borivali East. Visuals from the venue showed the actor greeting a large gathering as Govinda teams participated in the day’s competitions.

The event was organised around the theme of promoting Marathi-language education and preserving Marathi schools. Organisers had announced separate cash prizes based on the number of tiers completed by participating Govinda pathaks, along with incentives for women’s teams.

Dutt did not make a substantial public announcement connected to his film career during the appearance. His participation was primarily part of the cultural programme, and no unrelated professional development should be inferred from it.

The actor has a memorable cinematic association with Dahi Handi through Vaastav: The Reality, whose festival sequence remains one of the film’s widely recalled moments. His presence at a public celebration therefore carried an additional connection for movie audiences familiar with the 1999 crime drama.

Suniel Shetty Joins Thane Festivities

Suniel Shetty attended a Dahi Handi programme in Thane, where he addressed the gathering in Marathi and encouraged participants to prioritise safety while attempting the demanding human-pyramid formations.

Calling Mumbai his “karmabhoomi,” Shetty spoke about his affection for the city and the global recognition enjoyed by Indian festivals. He also praised the local police and urged citizens to support efforts against the sale and consumption of illegal drugs.

His appearance demonstrated how large Dahi Handi events now function as more than pyramid competitions. Many combine religious tradition with stage performances, social campaigns, celebrity guests and public messages from organisers.

Women’s Govinda Teams Share the Spotlight

All-women Govinda troupes were among the notable participants in this year’s celebrations. Their presence reflected the widening participation in a festival historically dominated by male teams.

Dahi Handi commemorates the childhood stories of Lord Krishna, with participants forming human pyramids to reach and break an earthen pot suspended above the ground. In Mumbai and Thane, the tradition has developed into a major public spectacle involving numerous local mandals and competitive Govinda pathaks.

Celebrity appearances attract additional public attention, but the teams remain at the centre of the celebration. Their coordination, physical preparation and willingness to attempt multi-tiered formations create the defining moments of the event.

Celebrations Also Renew Safety Concerns

The scale of the festivities was accompanied by serious safety concerns. Numerous participants were taken to hospitals after sustaining injuries while forming or dismantling human pyramids across Mumbai.

A separate tragedy occurred in Malvani, where seven-year-old Rudra Kadam died after part of a brick column collapsed during a local celebration. Preliminary civic information indicated that a rope holding the handi had been secured to the column, which gave way under pressure.

The incident was not connected to the celebrity-attended events covered above. However, it underlines why secure installations, protective equipment, trained supervision and responsible crowd management must remain central to every Dahi Handi programme.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The presence of Sanjay Dutt, Jeetendra and Suniel Shetty illustrates the long-standing relationship between Mumbai’s entertainment industry and the city’s public festivals. Their appearances can broaden attention and create memorable moments, particularly at events that also promote cultural or social initiatives.

But celebrity visibility should not overshadow the Govinda teams or the responsibility carried by organisers. Dahi Handi depends on physical skill and community participation, and its success cannot be measured only through crowd size, prize money or prominent guests.

The strongest celebrations are those that preserve the festival’s cultural character while treating participant and spectator safety as a non-negotiable priority.

Sources & Verification

This report was prepared using event footage, remarks recorded at the venues, information released by organisers and coverage attributed to established news agencies. The Celebrity Hour separately reviewed municipal information concerning the fatal Malvani incident. Crowd descriptions were limited to gatherings visible in footage or described by on-ground agency reporting; no unsupported attendance figure has been used.