An eight-year-old Alia Bhatt was at her mum Soni Razdan’s house when she ran outside, excited to burst crackers. “We were definitely not climate conscious then,” she quips. Like every other child, she picked up a phooljhadi — only to burn her thumb after touching the wrong end of the burnt stick. “The whole evening, my thumb was in an ice bucket. I never played with phooljhadi again,” she laughs. That is Alia 's most memorable Diwali memory. Today though, her celebrations look very different — softer, warmer, and centered around her two-year-old daughter, Raha . As Alia sits down for an exclusive chat with Bombay Times, she opens up about her last Diwali at Vaastu — her Bandra home — and the light she’s carrying into her next chapter. Excerpts as followed...


Talking about Diwali, the Jigra actress says, "Diwali is a beautiful time, when the city lights up, and everybody just dressing up in their finest Indian attire. There is a literal reason for people to celebrate for days and days together. One of my top three cuisine is Indian. So I specifically love Diwali because wherever you go, you get the best Indian food to eat and you are allowed." So is she on a diet? She brushes it off, "No, not at all. I, actually, leading up to Diwali, go on a strict diet and workout regime, so that I can enjoy myself for the five days."



'Raha and I are going to make Rangoli today'

There’s a new lens through which Alia sees Diwali now — the wonder of a two-year-old discovering light. "Not just Diwali, every experience I have now is through my little child’s eyes,” she says with a tender smile, adding, "Like, how do we make this a memorable evening for her? Whether it’s our little puja or decking up the house. Yesterday we did DIY diya painting because she loves to paint. This morning, we’re making rangoli together. Last year, it was a phoolon ki rangoli because she was small, and I was concerned she might put the colours in her eye. So, I am going to attempt a full on rangoli which we'll do outside our home."

'This is our last Diwali in Vaastu'

The festival this year also coincides with a personal milestone — moving into a new house with husband Ranbir Kapoor and daughter Raha. "This is our last Diwali in the home that she was born in. So, it's actually really emotional time. But it is also very exciting because I know she might not remember this specific Diwali but the years of memories will build up and it'll leave a feeling in her. And Diwali is all about feelings. It should feel warm and full of light," she says.

Ask her how she feels about this new chapter in her life and she replies, "It’s been many years in the making, and honestly, the feeling is just very overwhelming. I feel truly blessed to have this chapter in life. We’re in the middle of the moving-in chaos, but my heart is full. It’s a big dream coming together. The feeling is so large that I think it’ll only really hit us months or maybe a year after we move in."

'Through our Lakshmi Puja Raha will be eating ladoos and running around'

Alia’s Diwali plans tonight are rooted in simplicity and wholesome. “Today, we’ll do our Lakshmi Puja followed by a sweet moment with our staff — we give them presents and thank them for being with us. Through the puja, Raha will be eating ladoos and running around! The rest I keep simple... I keep talking about this balcony a lot - where we've had so many evenings where we've gotten married, we've spent so many Diwalis with just a really close group of friends. So (this time) we're going to be doing exactly that this year. I'm cranking it up a notch. This year I'm going all out, because it's our last Diwali at home. So, the food menu also is all our favorites and all our Diwali specials. We have certain items on the menu that is very Vaastu specific - what we've eaten over the years. I'm really pushing it even though I'm kind of stretched thin between the house move. All our friends are coming. When I sent them the invite it read – Last Diwali in Vaastu. Please come and join. Bring a great attitude. The dress code is always festive but chill," she tells us.

'Diwali is a great way for us to remember the goodness and to celebrate the light within people'

For most, Diwali is about the shimmer — the gifts, the gatherings, the glow of new clothes. For Alia Bhatt, it’s about what lies beneath that sparkle. "When you talk about Diwali being the festival of light it talks about the triumph of goodness. That personally holds a very strong meaning in my heart because I believe in the power of goodness and kindness. No matter what, however rough or tough your day is, or your month has been or year has been, the ability to just look within and shine bright no matter what. Also have the ability to look at the light in the people around you. Diwali is a great way for us to remember the goodness and to celebrate the light within people. You can either go the non-lit part or you can go the lit part. And I choose light and goodness. Diwali is actually our way of showing gratitude and love to people that matter to us. It’s a great moment for you to pause and be thankful for where you are in life, to the people in your life, and to remember that it's always light over dark. Celebrate that light," she elaborates.

'I get more excited to match Raha and my looks'

Of course, "also embrace the fashion" Alia admits. "That's also fun to get into your finest festive wear," she says, her festive fashion has evolved over with time. "I've gotten more excited about it and now I just love doing combo colors with me and Raha - Matching our looks. That's my drive. Now I'm more excited about how do we combine the looks? And she really likes it. She really enjoys dressing up. Now she's understanding Diwali. Even in her preschool, they've been playing this Happy Diwali song. And today she was doing the Happy Diwali dance. She really is into this. She loves dancing. It's really just about embracing all those little moments," Alia signs off.