I miss my Christmases with church friends in Erode: Rio Raj
In this exclusive interview with DT Next, actor Rio Raj reminisces about the Christmas days spent with friends from church in Erode, while setting up Christmas decorations at his home in Chennai
Rio with his wife Sruthi and daughter Rithi (Photo: Manivasagan N)
CHENNAI: It’s Christmas, and Rio Raj has emerged from a busy weekend. He set up the Christmas birch with his wife Sruthi and daughter Rithi. We talk about Christmas gifting options and Rio says that he has received the best gift he could have ever asked for “Joe’s success.
That is the best gift I have gotten this Christmas. When the film released, I was praying that it sustains a theatrical run till Christmas and New Year holidays. I am glad it did. It has weathered cyclones and big releases. I couldn’t be happier,” Rio says with a huge smile.
When he stepped into the media, Rio made Chennai his home and has been living here for over 10 years and has been scaling new heights in what he set out for. However, talking about Christmas, we could understand that his heart still belongs in his hometown Erode. “Those were easily my best days and I spent my best Christmases there. We were a joint family that had an Omni van. We left for Christmas mass squeezed inside the van,” he laughs.
Things were different after Rio reached the church. “We were a gang in the church that met only for Christmas every year. In the middle of the mass, we get out one after the other to go to the nearest tea shop. Erode isn’t known for late night shops and we all meet there and catch up with how the year went by for all of us. The memories are still fresh and I miss that badly,” he pauses.
Rio adds that he has been having a good time with his family in the last few years. “Christmases with Sruthi and Rithi have also been special. I hope I can make it to the prayers this year. Also, the festival is all about giving and I am a giver. I always meet people who are close to me and give them gifts. Only in the last two years I haven’t been able to do so since dad’s passing away last year,” he remarks.
Rithi
On the workfront, Rio says that the pre-production work of his next is taking place. “We have to finalise a few things before the project goes on floors,” the actor tells us. “I wish all DT Next readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2024,” he says and leaves as he has a little bit of Christmas shopping left to be done.
