Diyas, rangolis, glittery outfits & lip- smacking cuisine—celebs are all set to make this Diwali a grand affair

Gurnaaz Kaur

It’s that time of the year when everyone is ready with their jazziest outfits and shiny shoes to add that glitter and sparkle to the special day. Diwali being the biggest Indian festival, preparations for this day begin much in advance.

So, whether it is about cleaning of the house, buying presents for loved ones or hosting a Diwali bash, there’s so much to do. And Diwali 2021 is particularly special because it’s the first festival that’s being celebrated since the pandemic hit us. Yes, the social distancing and pandemic-safety rules are in place but with a large population being vaccinated, things are crawling back to normal. As millions around the world celebrate the festival of light, here’s how these Bollywood celebrities are setting the mood for a grand Diwali.

Cleaning the clutter

Kavita Kaushik

Diwali for me has always been about cleaning the clutter, not only from my house but also from my life…all things and people that bring my energy down are eliminated consciously. My husband and I run a small Ayurvedic homemade skin and hair care brand, so distributing those goodies among friends and neighbours along with building new houses for our pets on our farm is our Diwali highlight this year as we have adopted adorable rabbits apart from our dogs and cat. I’ve never been a sucker for wearing designer clothes and prefer to wear my handloom sarees for festivals made by local artisans. I don’t like to party.

Fun & food: Gauahar Khan

This year I am shooting in Bhopal, so Diwali will be away from home but there’s a lot of good stuff happening here. With lights everywhere, markets all decked up, I am happy to be in a different city for the festival. It’s like getting to see how India celebrates Diwali. We all had so much fun in our childhood with burning crackers but things have changed now.

The beauty is that there’s so much more to this festival- fun and food with friends and family is central to Diwali.

Colours & patterns: Akanksha Sharma

I am planning to travel back home to Gurgaon to surprise to my family. Making a rangoli is a tradition for me and this year too I’m planning to make a rangoli and decorate the house with lamps. I really like to keep it simple yet graceful and I will wear a beautiful salwar kameez to match the brightness of Diwali.

Travel time: Zareen Khan

My mom was unwell for the entire year and she is finally feeling better. That is the most special thing about Diwali 2021 for me. I couldn’t focus on anything, be it work or other social commitments. So, this Diwali, keeping everything aside, my mom and I will be taking a trip out of India after ages.

Décor with diyas

Pankaj Tripathi

Although we are shooting in Ujjain, I wanted to be with my family in Mumbai for the festival and so I travelled the night before to celebrate Diwali at home. This Diwali is very special because along with lighting diyas at home, I will be illuminating my office. I also want to go visit my parents in the village and that will happen after Diwali. There are many childhood memories attached to this day that come alive when I am in my village, especially when as kids we would bring mitti ke diye from the nearby potter’s house and use homemade oil and cotton wicks to light them. After decorating the house with diyas and candles, we would run away to a distance to see how it looked. Those wide shots of well-lit homes are etched in my memory. In fact, all this while when I was shooting, my wife and daughter made sure to keep sending me updates on the cleaning process going on at home. All the painting and decoration has been in full swing. On Diwali we prepare an elaborate traditional vegetarian meal, like we used to do in the village. So, it’s all very special.

Catching up with friends: Taha Shah

I go out to my friends’ places on Diwali. Lighting diyas would be one thing I will definitely do. I would love to try rangoli as well. I am going to buy colourful lights to decorate my new house where I’ve recently shifted. There is this new kurta that one of my friends has made for me. I am going to wear that.

Work & fun: Sikander Kher

I am lucky that this time on Diwali I will be working. While I am shooting on the day of the festival, I will make sure to wrap up work on time to be with my family. The annual rituals remain. Although it’ll be a private affair, I’ll go meet my friends. So, it is mainly family and friends.