Diwali in Goa for Manoj Bajpayee this year!

Diwali means celebration at home with lights, sweets, décor, puja with family and friends around - but this year, Diwali will be unlike other times for Manoj Bajpayee. The actor, who has been shooting projects back-to-back in different cities in the country, will be celebrating Diwali in Goa as his Mumbai home is being renovated.

“Diwali will not be as it should be in Goa but for the festival wanted to give the family a break from all the mess due to renovation. We are away from home but we will enjoy ourselves. It is always a celebration when with family. Will go out with the little one and be together – that’s our plan,” says Bajpayee, who will be in Goa with his wife, Shabana and daughter Ava.

Every year, the three-time National Award winner has a puja at home and enjoys lighting diyas around the house. “Ours is a green Diwali and we are mindful of that. We also have few friends over for dinner, especially those who don’t have any celebration at home for some good food and gupshup. We have a good evening together, feel lucky that we are alive and doing well and wish each other good health and a good life,” he explains, adding he has some surprise gifts in store for the family.

While this year celebration will be different for him, he recalls the Diwalis he celebrated as a kid.Talking about it, Bajpayee admits that he misses the Diwali he celebrated with his parents, siblings, and cousins in his home town Belwa, Bihar. “Those memories will always be special and each year I remember that time. It would be with family, my friends with thousands of diyas around the temples, getting blessings from elders and money too, lighting up crackers and wearing new clothes. Actually, the new clothes were quite an occasion for all of us, since we were not that well off to buy new clothes often,” he ends.