Actors Pavitra Punia and Eijaz Khan got engaged in August this year. They had been dating each other since 2020 when they appeared in the reality show, Bigg Boss 14. The Naagin 3 actor says that they moved in together and she is elated about celebrating Diwali with her fiancé.
Talking about how the festival will make for an interesting blend of modernity and traditions, she explains, “I am going to do Laxmi puja, make rangoli and light up my whole house with lights and diyas. This is my second Diwali with Eijaz and I am going to make it special. We have also moved in together. I am also planning to keep a small party at home.”
She also shares that it will be all about gorging on some of her favourite dishes. “Diwali food is something which I always go traditional with. We eat aaloo aur phoolgobi ki sabji, puri and homemade sweets like gulab jamun, which I have learnt to make from my mother,” she says.
Speaking about the significance of Diwali in her life, Pavitra expresses, “It’s about removing the darkness from your life and welcoming light. That’s a ray of hope for me. It’s the end of sorrow, sadness, misery, everything which is not going to help me.”
The 36-year-old could not celebrate the festival of lights in 2019 as she was suffering from dengue and was admitted at a hospital in the ICU, and so, she’s looking forward to spending this Diwali with a lot of gusto. “2019 was a difficult time for me, and the last two years, celebrations were low-key. This year, it will be a bigger one. We will all celebrate with a lot of energy with Eijaz and my family,” she remarks.
Speaking about her childhood memories surrounding the festival, Pavitra adds, “I am from Bagphat in Meerut and I remember my dadi used to perform Laxmi puja with so much sincerity. She also used to make the idol on her own. The vibe at home was very nice before Diwali. We used to clean the whole house with cow dung and mud. That was quite fascinating for me.”
She further continues, “At that point of time, Diwali meant firecrackers to me. When I look back now, I remember all these beautiful memories and I am going to share this with my children one day.”
On the work front, Pavitra is currently working on Dangal TV’s Ishq Ki Dastaan – Naagmani, a supernatural and fantasy show, where she plays the antagonist. She also recently performed to the song Manohari from Baahubali: The Beginning (2019) for the Diwali Dangal special, which was aired on October 16.
