I have always loved celebrating Diwali more than my birthday: Umesh Ghadge

MUMBAI: Actor Umesh Ghadge, who currently features in Advocate Anjali Awasthi (AAA), gets excited as Diwali approaches, but this time he will miss celebrating it with his family due to work commitments.
 
He said, “Diwali has always been and will be the biggest festival for me. From early childhood, I have always loved celebrating Diwali more than my birthday. The decoration, like hanging Kandil, putting fancy lights in balconies, the rangoli outside the house, and lighting diyas everywhere, makes me happy. The whole vibe is different, and that positivity really makes me happy and brightens up my mood.”
 
“Unfortunately this year I am stuck in Kolkata due to work commitments, and I will be shooting even during the festival. If I am lucky, I might get a day off, but not more than that, so coming home to celebrate with family looks difficult. I will definitely miss home-cooked sweets by my mom this Diwali,” he added.
 
Umesh also spoke against burning crackers and said that they are a big cause of noise and air pollution, which is very harmful for everyone. “The aftereffects of bursting crackers last for several days after Diwali,” he added.
 
He loves wearing traditional clothes, especially on festivals. He said, “It has a different charm. I am more comfortable in traditional clothes than regular or trendy clothes. Before getting into acting, I only wore them on special occasions. But now as an actor, I get to wear traditional clothes quite often, and I quite love it.”
 
And he enjoys indulging in sweets and savory foods. “I like Kaju Katli and besan laddoos, but Karanji, which is a Maharashtrian specialty, is my favorite during Diwali,” he said.
 
What about gifts? “Mostly it’s the exchange of sweets with friends, but in family I always make sure I try to gift something that’s useful or something that’s on their wishlist and surprise them,” Umesh ended.