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Diwali special| Fatima Sana Shaikh: There's just something about Diwali that makes everybody happy
Shooting with HT City Showstoppers, Fatima Sana Shaikh talks about what makes Diwali special for her and her necessities during the festive season
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With Diwali just a few days away, the excitement for the festivities is palpable for Fatima Sana Shaikh. As she shoots with HT City Showstoppers, the actor insists, “There's just something about Diwali that makes everybody happy. The city looks beautiful, people are dressing up, visiting each other, and eating good food. There's a certain warmth in the air. And I love that.”
The festival also brings back a rush of childhood memories for Fatima Sana Shaikh as she shares, “When you're a kid, festivals are just so much more exciting. You look forward to the holidays, the sweets, wearing new clothes, meeting your friends. And I remember how exciting it was just to see the whole neighbourhood lit up. It's funny how, as you grow older, you realise that it was really those small things that made it so special.”
Diwali season also means taking a break from her strict diet and indulging herself in festive delicacies. “Festivals are meant to be enjoyed, so I'm not going to sit there counting calories when there's good food in front of me. I have a massive sweet tooth, so that's usually where all my self-control disappears. I love gulab jamun, pedas, rasmalai, and anything that's freshly made and full of ghee. Diwali mein to indulgence banta hai,” she laughs.
The festive season is also the platform for the fashionista in Shaikh to shine. “I love dressing up and Diwali is the perfect excuse to be a little extra. I love Indian wear. There's something so beautiful about the fabrics, the colours, the jewellery, the whole process of getting ready. I especially love sarees. I think they're incredibly versatile and sexy without even trying. I like playing around with traditional looks, maybe adding something unexpected or making the styling a little more contemporary,” she shares.
With Diwali being the festival of light, Shaikh shares that she wants to have the light of good and meaningful work in her life. “I'm at a stage where I really value peace of mind. I want to keep learning, travelling, meeting interesting people and doing work that excites me. And hopefully, lots of good surprises along the way,” she says, adding that the evil in her life that she wants to get rid of this festive season is procrastination and self-doubt. “It's about not letting fear or self-doubt make decisions for me. Sometimes we can be our own biggest obstacles. So, learning to get out of my own way is something I'm always working on.”
This year, Diwali for Shaikh is all about family, food and festivities. “I'm looking forward to dressing up, spending time with people I love, eating lots of good food and hopefully attending a few Diwali parties,” she says, adding, “While I enjoy the celebrations, I also love the quieter moments. And honestly, after all the dressing up and socialising, coming home, getting into my pyjamas and doing absolutely nothing is also a pretty great plan!”
