Rupali Ganguly: Diwali to me means family, and lights and everything bright around me

 Rupali Ganguly, who plays the titular role in Rajan and Deepa Shahi's "Anupamaa", loves the festival of lights Diwali but has been against burning crackers since childhood. 

"Every year on Diwali I request people to let this festival be all about lights and not crackers. Please light up your homes and your hearts, and after Laxmi puja if at all you need to burn crackers, then light up a phuljhari or a chakri, but please don't create any noise pollution. I am not a cracker fan and don't understand why people single out only Diwali while banning them. Crackers in any festival should be banned. Festivals should be about lights and love, I don't understand why we need to pollute the environment," she said. 

"So many birds get heart attacks because of the sound, and I remember my father's heart rate would shoot up during this festival. It affects old people and even pets and birds. Old and sick people and animals bear the brunt of it. Also, people spend so much money on it and all the money literally goes up in smoke. So why do that. I would just request everyone to have a noise-free, safe and a happy Diwali," she added. 

For Rupali, the festival is not just about lights but more about spending time with the family, surrounded by loved ones. 

"Diwali is the festival of lights and I absolutely love lighting up diyas in my home and making a rangoli. It is a festival of mithai and meeting loved ones. It is also like an official holiday, because during school we would get a holiday for the festival and I am still habitual to that. Diwali to me means family, and lights and everything bright around me," the actress said. 

Sharing her Diwali plans this year, Rupali said, "Nothing big, because I will be shooting before and after the Diwali day. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not into socialising. I like to be at home and spend time with my family. I might have a get-together of family members and close friends and have a puja at home. For me, it's very important to impart culture and family values to my son. He needs to know that there is a ritual of doing a puja at home, there has to be faith, there needs to be love for the family, a value for Indian culture and traditions, and a proud feeling of being an India