It's going to be a noiseless & bright Diwali …says actor Esha Deol, who along with mom, actor Hema Malini gears up to celebrate the festival today

Hema Malini and Isha Deol

"There's not been a single Diwali that has not been celebrated with mom (actor Hema Malini) and dad (actor Dharmendra). However busy their schedules have been, they have always made sure to spend that day with Ahana and me," reveals actor Esha Deol, while talking about the festival of lights.
She adds, "I always look forward to Diwali. Since childhood, Ahana and me would get excited as the festival drew closer as it meant going on a shopping spree. Right from buying new clothes to buying gifts for friends and family, to getting plenty of colourful diyas. I just love everything about it."
Esha also feels that it is a festival that gets the family closer to each other. "The youngsters love to decorate the puja thalis, select certain mithais and decorate the house with rangolis and diyas. Doing these things makes us aware of our traditions. I love to shop for home decor like cushion covers, interesting lights and diyas for the house. Mom and I are not much into bursting firecrackers, we just love the milder and colourful versions like sparklers and anars. We prefer to have a noiseless, eco-friendly and illuminating Diwali."
Ask her mom, Hema about her Diwali memories, and she in her characteristic forthright manner says that she does not remember much of it. "Since I started working at a very young age, I don't remember much about Diwali as a kid, except that we had an elaborate puja in our house, followed by a delicious meal with sweets and specialities," recalls Bollywood's original 'Dream Girl'. "Diwali celebrations took on a new meaning for me after marriage, especially after Esha and Ahana were born. We start the day with puja and I make both of them wear ghagra-cholis for it. We then exchange mithai and gifts with relatives and friends who come to wish us on Diwali," she elaborates.
This year, however, the mother-daughter duo has more reasons to be excited about Diwali as the festival week will also see the release of their home production in which Esha will be seen on the big screen after a long time.
Ask Esha what she likes best about the festival, and she shares, "In the evening, dad gets a bunchful of crackers and bursts them along with Ahana as I'm not good at handling them. All of us then go to the terrace. The sky looks like a beautiful bride on Diwali. That time spent together with my family is just priceless."