Mumbai, Dec 29 : Actress Saiee M Manjrekar is choosing a quiet, meaningful way to welcome the New Year as she returns to Matheran, a place she describes as her second home.

For the unversed, Matheran is a hill station, near Mumbai, Known for its mild climate and well-preserved colonial architecture, the picturesque location has banned motor vehicles and many visitors arrive by narrow-gauge railway on the 1907 Neralâ??Matheran Toy Train.

Sharing her thoughts, Saiee said the hill town has been a constant in her life since childhood, and over the years, it has become deeply personal to her.

Saiee told IANS: â??This New Year, I find myself returning to Matheran with a few close friends, a place that has always felt like a second home. Iâ??ve been coming here since childhood with my family and friends, and over time, it has quietly become a part of who I am.â??

â??With no cars and no rush, Matheran moves at its own gentle pace.â??

Saiee also recalled horse rides along misty trails, shaded forests and quiet viewpoints, describing the experience as almost meditative.

â??I still carry vivid memories of riding here with my parents and siblings, moments filled with laughter, togetherness, and a sense of freedom that only time and nature can give. Horse riding through misty trails, shaded forests, and quiet viewpoints feels almost meditative, allowing memories to surface naturally.â??

For the actress, itâ??s the simple joys that define her time there. From vada pav at a vendor she has known for years to gola on warm afternoons and Maggi at a small tapri, Saiee said these moments help her reconnect with her roots.

â??After long rides, the simplest pleasures feel the most rewarding vada pav from a vendor weâ??ve known for years, gola on warm afternoons, and Maggi at a small tapri. Away from five-star comforts, these moments reconnect me to my roots and remind me how little one truly needs to feel content.â??

The actress added: â??Welcoming the New Year here feels deeply right a return to simplicity, authenticity, and the memories that continue to shape me.â??

The 23-year-old actress made her film debut with a brief appearance as Kushi Damle in the Marathi film Kaksparsh in 2012.

She did her first leading role as Khushi Chautala in the 2019 Hindi action-comedy Dabangg 3 opposite Salman Khan. In 2020, she appeared in the music video for the song "Manjha", alongside Aayush Sharma.

She next appeared in Kuch Khattaa Ho Jaay opposite Guru Randhawa. Saiee was last seen in the Telugu action drama Arjun Son Of Vyjayanthi directed by Pradeep Chilukuri.The film stars Nandamuri Kalyan Ram and Vijayashanti, alongside Saiee Manjrekar, Sohail Khan, Babloo Prithiveeraj, Srikanth and R. Sarathkumar.It is a spiritual sequel of 1990 film Karthavyam with Vijayshanti reprised the same role in this movie as Kalyan Ram's mother.

/IANS