Zee Marathi actors recall Diwali childhoods, from festive treats to building toy forts

As Diwali nears, thoughts turn to cleaning the house, preparing festive food, buying new clothes, akash kandils, rangoli and the glow of lamps. Families gather for the festival, yet everyone's memories of it are different. Some recall cleaning with their mother, some a fort built with friends, and some the sweets and savouries made at home. Responsibilities have grown and ways of working have changed with time, but the excitement of Diwali remains the same.

This Diwali, actors from Zee Marathi have spoken about their childhood memories and about the festival today. Some liked helping their mother cook festive dishes as children, while others loved building forts with friends.

This Diwali is special for Raj Hanchanale, who plays Jay in the serial Sanai Choughade. "They say that when God gives, He gives with both hands. I am truly experiencing this now. This Diwali, Lakshmi has come into my life in two forms. One is my little daughter, and the other is the audience's abundant love," he said. He also expressed his happiness at the serial winning a Best Show award. He said he is very fond of the audience's love and the messages that come in on social media. This time he will celebrate Diwali in the traditional way with his family and little daughter. He added that the audience's love and blessings are his real strength.

Vijaya Babar, who plays the title role in Kamali, cannot help her mother much with Diwali preparations these days because of shooting. But her childhood memories are special to her. As the youngest in the family, she would come back from school or college and clean the house with her mother. "I love making festive food. As a child, I would ask my mother to get plain, uncoloured diyas and sit at home painting them at length. The diya I had painted would be lit at home on Diwali day, and that made me very happy," says Vijaya.

Rohit Parshuram, who plays Shankar in Krishnai Chi Leki, lives in Mumbai for work, so he can no longer take part in the preparations as he used to. As a child he was first in every task, from cleaning the house fans to making festive dishes with his mother. In his view, there is a special pleasure in eating piping hot gujiya. He also remembers shopping for Diwali with his father in the early-morning market in Bhor and bringing home an akash kandil of his choice. He also enjoyed akash kandil-making competitions at school. He still remembers Diwali mornings in Bhor, with the cold and mist of those days.

Diwali has always been a favourite festival for Shivani Sonar, who plays Tarini in Tarini. Diwali is celebrated both on the set and at home, so the joy lasts 10 to 12 days. This time she has taken charge of decorating the house and is shopping online. She particularly likes a traditional six-cornered, single-colour akash kandil. Building a fort with her brother is a special memory. Collecting soil, bringing stones, buying small toy soldiers for the fort or repainting old ones, she still enjoys all of it. She is therefore more interested in building a fort at Diwali than in the festive food.

Mandar Jadhav, who plays Vedant in Dhakti Sunbai, says that he now helps a little with cleaning the house ahead of Diwali, goes shopping and enjoys the festive food. As a child, new clothes, firecrackers and his mother's cooking particularly excited him. Decorating the house before Diwali, making akash kandils, putting up lights and making all kinds of festive food had a charm of their own. Responsibilities have grown now, but the enthusiasm and joy are the same. For him, Diwali is a lovely experience of spending time with family and celebrating.

For Jui Pushpa Prafull Gogari, who plays Asavari in Sanai Choughade, Diwali means fun and revelry with family. She enjoys the fun of cleaning with her mother and sisters, shopping for decorations and sitting together at home to make festive food. For the past three years, Jui has bought the Diwali supplies herself. She is happy to look after the household's responsibilities from her own earnings. The memory of making rangoli with her sister Nikita every year moves her. Her sister now lives in Hyderabad after marriage, so Jui misses her a great deal while making rangoli.

For Nikhil Damle, who plays Rishi in Kamali, Diwali is one of the favourite festivals of the year. He says the main reason is the food made by his mother and grandmother. Every year the whole family gathers, has a party, eats festive food and plays all sorts of games. Building forts with friends as a child is his most beautiful Diwali memory. He had a particular passion for making replicas of various forts of Maharashtra and taking part in fort-building competitions. He also expressed regret at not being able to join the preparations this time because of shooting.

Twinkle Yadav, who plays Gauri in Krishnai Chi Leki, used to go to her village for Diwali as a child. Everyone sat together there making festive food, and she watched it all keenly. She helped a little too, but her attention was mostly on bursting firecrackers. Now she joins her mother in everything from Diwali shopping to discussing what the house needs and what it does not. Twinkle, who once offered only small bits of help, now also lends a willing hand in cooking. In this way, the Zee Marathi actors have described the joy of the festival through their childhood memories and their changed responsibilities today.