Diwali on the sets
Come Diwali and there’s a phenomenon that enters our daily lives, which is as ubiquitous as the sound of crackers. Small screen soaps take a breather from their usual scheming-shouting storylines and portray the festive spirit with one visual extravaganza after another. But while television actors have become so much a part of their viewers’ Diwalis, how do they celebrate their own? Shooting schedules for TV shows can be notoriously hectic, with stars having to shoot for as many as 16 hours a day, often in sickness as in health. And shooting for Diwali extravaganzas takes its own toll. But in the midst of all this hard work, actors say they are still making time to celebrate.
Actor Karan Grover, who plays the male lead in Yahaan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli, says no matter what he is doing, he ensures he spends two days during Diwali with his mother. “For me, Diwali means complete family time. I join my mother for the puja and also when she goes sweet shopping,” laughs Karan.
Kratika, of Rani Lakshmibai fame, is unhappy because this is the first year she won’t be spending Diwali with her family in Kanpur. Additi, who is seen in Sanjog Se Bani Sangini, says getting a day off from shooting would in itself, be reason enough to celebrate. “Shooting schedules and other work related commitments rarely leave us with much time for anything else,” she rues.
Apart from the time aspect, the fact that several TV actors live away from home also prevents them from having too elaborate a celebration.Uttaran star Nandish Sandhu says cleaning his puja ghar and lighting diyas is an integral part of his Diwali celebrations. “But I have to do it all by myself as I live alone here,” he says.
Spending time with his family in Ujjain may be the fondest wish this Diwali for Shashank Vyas, but he admits that it seems unlikely. “When I was in school, I would wait for Diwali vacations to be with my cousins and grandpa. Those years were so special. After becoming an actor though, things have changed — only shoots, no holidays. I will celebrate with all my co-stars and the production unit of Balika Vadhu,” he says.
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