With Diwali right around the corner, Pratibha Ranta is excited for the festivities, especially after the year she has had with Laapataa Ladies and Heeramandi: The Diamond Baazaar. “This year is quite special, but I have been the most busy this year, so I have missed the most number of festivals too. Thus, I am going to celebrate this Diwali well and have a small puja at my place. Because that’s something I have grown up doing and that’s how I keep myself grounded.”
Reflecting on the festival of lights, the 23-year-old shares, “For me, Diwali has always been a very spiritual experience with my grandparents as they practice spirituality and they taught me the the policy of no crackers when I was about four. From that day, I decided that now onwards my Diwali is about exchanging gifts, dressing up and maybe going to my friend’s place and of course, puja.”
For Pratibha, Puja and the small joys of Diwali make for the most special experience. “The puja has been the most important ritual for me on Diwali. I decorate my house with lights and diyas and I love doing that. Growing up, I would make beautiful rangolis outside my door and we used to have so many puppies who would just spoil it,” she shares, adding that being a cat mom now, she has plans for her pet too: “I think I’m going to come and just cuddle with my cat and that’s how I’ll celebrate Diwali. I actually keep them away from diyas also because they are cats, and they get curious about everything.”
Earlier, the actor was supposed to be away on shoot during this Diwali, but her plans changed suddenly and now she is going to celebrate the festival in Mumbai. This marks her fifth Diwali in the city and Pratibha informs that ever since she moved here, she hasn’t spent any Diwali at her hometown: “I had decided that I will go home for Diwali when I would have achieved something. Now, I want my family to come here to celebrate with me. For next year, I am already manifesting that I get to celebrate Diwali with my grandparents here.”
The cherry on top of the cake this year for Pratibha has been the selection of Laapataa Ladies as India’s official entry for Oscars 2025. “This Diwali, I am praying a little extra for an Oscar. Par wo prayer to meri roz bhi chalti rehti hai. Before I sleep every night, I thank God. And now I’ve started asking for this one more thing,” she gushes, adding that she was in a meting when the news came out, and she was flooded with congratulatory messages. “For a moment, I was like, what has happened? It took me a while to actually comprehend it. I’m now waiting for that day when we go there, and we stand at that place. I really want to experience that moment and every time I think about it, I get goosebumps,” she ends.
