Actors celebrate Diwali at home this year!

MUMBAI: This year has been very tough and harsh on everyone due to the scary Covid-19 situation. People have still not started stepping out and are mostly home bound. Here is what these actors plan to do for Diwali this year.

Savi Thakur: I love Diwali. This is my favourite festival. I have no plans this year, to be very honest. I have not celebrated Diwali the way I used to since I came here in Mumbai. For me, Diwali is a festival that is celebrated with the whole family and I feel sad because I miss home. All I do is laxmi Poojan and a little bit of shopping. Earlier, I used to roam around with my friends. In Himachal, the markets would be decked up and you would meet all your friends. Everyone would come to your house on this day. This is what I really miss. In Mumbai this year, I don't know if anyone will come home or we will go out because people are still scared of Corona.

Prateek Rana: I will celebrate this Diwali at home this year, with my family only, looking at home rapidly Covid-19 is spreading. I think we all should be aware of this and not go out. Just celebrate this Diwali with lights and happiness with your family this time. I will celebrate only with my family this time. We all should do this and just wish our friends and relatives on the phone. It is really risky to invite anyone or visit anyone’s place during this pandemic. I will buy all the necessary things for Diwali pooja, lights and all and decorate my home with lights and divas. I will definitely avoid crackers and meeting friends and relatives due to Covid 19.

Sohail Shaikh: Diwali is one of the biggest festivals in India. Every year we celebrate Diwali with family and friends but due to this pandemic, things will change. Yes, a few of my family members who live nearby will visit my place and on bhai Dooj, which is two days after Diwali, my cousin sister will visit my place. My plan is to be safe and to be at home. I will celebrate with my family. This Diwali, I want to help people you are not in a good condition due do the pandemic. Many of them don’t have foods or clothes and so I will donate some stuff and help people so that they will have a great Diwali too.  

Rajshri Rani: This Diwali will be so special because I will be celebrating it after 7 years with my family. I will get married soon and seriously Diwali is the only occasion which reminds me of my childhood. Baccho ki tarah patakhe chalana, pooja karna aur wo besan ke laddo aur mathri khana...The best part is when after the puja, we get money from my dad, just like we did when we were small. I remember everything on Diwali!

Aishwarya Sharma: Every year on Diwali, I go to my hometown and celebrate it with my family. But this year, this isn't possible for me because I am shooting. And it’s not safe to invite guests over in this pandemic. So I am not so excited about Diwali this year because I'll miss my family and I am not making any special plans.

Dhruvee Haldankar: This Diwali is going to be a "make in India” one. Since everyone has learnt to live in corona, the festive mood will be high in spirits. I will do the sajawat with earthen pots, dias, marigold flowers and mango leaves. Diwali is a celebration of victory. The win of good over evil. If we keep the spirits high, we will also win over this evil time. I will also prepare a lot of sweets and invite my family and friends over to share the love.

Vijayendra Kumeria: I will celebrate Diwali as usual with my family. My parents are in Ahmedabad so I will go there by road and get them here in Mumbai as I am not comfortable to let them travel by air. I don’t want to expose them to any risk during air travel. I will skip all Diwali parties as I am not in favour of big gatherings given the current scenario. My idea of celebrating Diwali is going to be a safe family celebration.

Prakrit Nautiyal: This Diwali, I will be celebrating with my friends and family in an environment-friendly manner. I, along with my mom and sister, are visiting a close friend for Diwali pooja and lighting diyas. This will be followed with a happy evening, playing games and having a good time. I am super excited to eat a delicious assortment of Diwali sweets like gujia, kaju katli, sonpapdi. Since it's going to be an eco-friendly Diwali, I have decided to go around in my locality to feed the strays and those in need. Instead of buying crackers that play a heavy role in contributing to the pollution level and are dangerously scary for stray animals, why not buy food and sweets to spread a little love and a lot of joy. Given our current scenario, I believe everyone needs this auspicious event to celebrate but we all should do so responsibly, making sure that we are not harming our environment, endangering our strays and, of course, keeping ourselves safe from Covid-19. 

Akshit Sukhija: I am celebrating this Diwali with my parents because during the last two Diwalis, my mom and dad where in Delhi and I was in Bombay. So for the first, I was away from my home and couldn’t travel to Delhi and I celebrated a bachelor Diwali with my friends. This time, fortunately, my parents are with me so now my plan is that I will party on the 13^th and on the 14^th, I will decorate my house, eat something homemade food and we will all sit together and watch something good on TV. We are not calling guests but I will probably invite some friends whose parents or relatives don’t stay over here. 

Meera Deosthale: For me, Diwali is still going to be the same. I am going to decorate my house just like I do every year. I am going to make a rangoli and dress up. I am going to dress up in a different way this year and I have planned all of it. We have had a couple of low and sad months being stuck in the house and not doing anything. I think I want to bring a little extra positivity and happiness in my house. I am going to invite my immediate family and friends who have been visiting me. We will do the basic ritual that we always do because of Covid-19, we are not going to let our Diwali suffer!

Delnaaz Irani: This Diwali, it is just me and Percy as my brother’s family will also be away. They are going to have a mini family holiday so they are also going. We are going to be just at home and spend some nice time together. The ritual is that I never leave my house during Diwali because I want to be around the house to light up the Diyas, make a rangoli. This year, I don’t think anyone is coming, maybe some cousins or friends. I do a nice puja in the evening and beautify the whole house. This Diwali, I will be staying at home. I am going to do everything that I do every year on Diwali because the year has been really bad for all of us, it’s been a learning process. 

Pranitaa Pandit: I have been blessed with proper house help throughout Covid-19. We have already started with the preparations this time. I am planning to paint the diyas myself at home instead of going out to buy. I am recycling a few old ones and just buying some mitti ke diye. I am also making the sweets at home and will not be getting any from outside. 

Rohit Choudhary: This year, Diwali celebration will be a little different as compared to every year. Every year, we party with friends. They come to our place. But due to this Corona, everything has changed. I will celebrate Diwali with my close family and try to prepare sweets at home itself. Guests will not be coming nor will we be going anywhere because our enjoying on one day can cause a problem for many people. It’s best to spend time with family this year.

Subuhii Joshii: I did not celebrate Diwali last year because my father had passed away. Always on Diwali, I am away from my family but this year my mother and my brother are here with me. I am looking forward to celebrating with them. I might not visit people. I will be more than happy to be at home and do puja at home because my family is here. I do have a few friends who stay alone, so they will come to my place.

Arun Mandola: This year I will be celebrating Diwali at my home. I will not go to anyone else's house or invite people over. The pandemic is not over yet. We should be very careful and stay indoors. I have not made any plans yet, but I love to decorate my house for Diwali, so I will do that and I will also make aloo sabji, puri and kheer.

Srishti Jain: Usually my family travels to Bhopal to celebrate Diwali with my grandparents and cousins. But this year we’re going to stay home here in Mumbai and celebrate it here. We will have a few family friends over who live in the same building as mine. We will have a puja at home and lots of good food and fun times with family and friends. Diwali is the festival of lights and marks the  win of good over evil! I make a wish every Diwali for my loved ones and for myself  to have happiness and brightness in our lives as long as they live and for lord to give us the strength to always make the right decisions and be good. Rest like I said, surrounded by my family and friends, eating Diwali mithai and sharing a good laugh is my idea of happiness and celebration!