Mona Singh: There are too many firsts for me this year, first Karva Chauth, and now first Diwali after marriage

The excitement is apparent in her voice when she talks to us just when she was stepping out to buy gifts for the security guards of her residential building. For Mona Singh, 2020 brought forth a lot of firsts — first Karva Chauth, and now, first Diwali with husband Shyam Gopalan.

“It’ll be a low key Diwali, also considering what’s happening around us. Shyam and I’ll be going to my parents’ house for the Pooja, a pandit ji will be there. After dinner, we’ll go to a very close friend’s house for a card party,” tells us the actor, adding that this is one ritual she is “definitely not skipping”, albeit with only limited people.

Covid-19 outbreak has definitely played a spoilsport for many festivals till now, but Singh feels this is the new normal. 

“We’ve to adjust. That doesn’t mean we stop enjoying life, but yes, it has to be within limit. Very close ones are the ones you get to spend time with, otherwise there are acquaintances whose house you go to play cards. It’s not happening,” she adds.

The 39-year-old, meanwhile, is expecting her husband to gift her something for their first Diwali. “I’ll definitely be surprising him with a gift, but I hope he surprises me too! I was asking him in fact ‘Do you want to go shopping together or separately?’ He said ‘For now, let’s go together’ (laughs). I’ve been hinting!,” quips Singh.

With so many restrictions on Diwali celebrations owing to the pandemic, what’s that one tradition or ritual that the actor had to miss out on?

“We’ll skip on going to the gurudwara and temple, and old age homes. I used to go there with my parents, and spend time with the people there, give them goodies, chit chat, read a book — that’s not going to happen. Other than that, I’ve always had a low-key Diwali. There used to be a lot of card parties I’d attend, which isn’t going to happen this year,” she shares.

However, the one things she sounds glad to be missing out on is the lavish parties which celebs throw.

“There’s no pressure of getting dressed up and getting clicked. Otherwise, one has to think ‘what to wear, I hope I don’t repeat’, all that jazz starts to happen. I’m not the person who gets in touch with stylists and designers to give me their outfits and I’d tag them (on social media). I like to wear my own stuff. Also, the shopping has gone down to minimalistic,” Singh signs off.