Hrithik, Shilpa and more share Diwali greetings

Bollywood and TV stars share the Diwali messages!

Diwali is around the corner and everyone including the rich and the famous are gearing up in style. Read on to learn more about their plans.

The effervescent Juhi Chawla wished everyone a very happy Diwali.

And while she hopes that this Diwali bings with it joy and prosperity, she also hopes that kids this year refrain from bursting loud crackers and fireworks.

Video: Afsar Dayatar

Actor Hrithik Roshan has decided to celebrate this Diwali with family out of Mumbai to avoid cracker pollution, fretting bronchial problem of his son.

"Diwali I am celebrating hopefully not in Mumbai because I have problem with the pollution and my son has a bronchial problem," says the actor.

The actor who played a paraplegic patient in director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's forthcoming film Guzaarish has off late realised that cracker fumes are unhealthy and wishes Diwali was celebrated without polluting the atmosphere.

Model Sonalika Sahay says she will head to Delhi this Diwali to spend time with her family there.

Video: Hitesh Harisinghani

This Diwali brings with it the added joy of her brother's wedding. So it's festive family fun for Neha Dhupia this year.

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Director and choreographer Farah Khan loves Diwali and her are kids excited about the festivities too. She says her crew with celebrate together and light some noiseless fireworks, and of course there will be some low-stakes gambling as well.

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It will be a family affair for model Iris Maity, who will celebrate her birthday on Bhai Duj (November 7).

Her best Diwali gift is the gift her mother gave her 7 years ago -- a pair of gold earrings -- that she saves for special occassions.

Video: Hitesh Harisinghani

Actress Ayesha Takia plans to get up early, get all togged out in traditional wear and meet friends and family this Diwali.

She likes all festivals because it's a time for family and friends and a time to share joy at Diwali. "It is our tradition to burst crackers, I have nothing against it. But there should be some limit. The noise and pollution is sometimes too much. That I don't like," she says.

When asked about her most memorable Diwali, she says: "My most memorable Diwali was when I was around ten years old. I had lots of friends in the building. Wearing new clothes, sharing sweets and bursting crackers with them was really fun and something to look forward to."

And her message to the readers? "Have a great Diwali. Be safe with the crackers!"

The legendary Lata Mangeshkar also shares her Diwali wishes with Rediff.com readers, check it out!

Video: Afsar Dayatar

I will begin my day with prayers. It is a good time of the year. The entire atmosphere is of festivity. I will visit a temple and spend time with my family. As both my sisters are abroad -- Meghna is settled there and Sameera is shooting -- it is imperative that I spend time with my parents.

What will she be wearing on that day? "It doesn't matter what I will be wearing. The money that I would have spent to buy clothes will be used for a party for orphans that the NGO Vatsalya will be conducting that day. I will also tell my friends that the money that I would have spent to buy them gifts will also go to that NGO. Diwali is a time to be reflective about people who are not as better off as us."

"I like Diwali as the festival of lights, all the lanterns, candles, lamps. I like being with family and visiting friends that day.
I don't like the smoke and noise pollution. There must be a single day to light crackers. A smog hangs over the city for a week. I don't like that."

Does she have some favourite Diwali memories? "My most memorable Diwalis were enjoyed as a child. My mom, grandmom and aunts made sweets at home. We lit diyas and burst small time crackers. It was fun being with relatives and family."

The best gift she has received? "Two years back all three sisters and my parents were in town. That was my biggest gift -- all of us together."

And her message to readers... Recession made last Diwali dismal. Now we are doing better, we are doing well. We should celebrate Diwali and at the same time all of us who are blessed should think of children who are not as lucky as us. We must do something to make their Diwali wonderful. Happy Diwali!

Bengali actress Rituparna Sengupta on what she's looking forward to on Diwali.

I will be going to Kolkata to spend time with family and near and dear ones. I lost my father a few months back and will light a diya in front of his picture at home. Also have to grace some Kali puja pandals and some special requests in Kolkata.

I love dressing up and meeting people during Diwali. Dhanteras, Bhai Duj everything is celebrated with great gusto at our household. My Diwali dressing will be simple and elegant -- with cotton kalamkari churidar and simple dupatta, because there will be a lot of fire crackers around. Also generally immediately after Diwali follows my birthday on November 7 -- I prefer spending some time at an orphanage or with blind children early morning.

My most memorable Diwali would be when I was very sick and was confined at home. That is when my father arranged a surprise party on our terrace with a lot of my friends. While I was sitting on a chair and watching them, they burst a lot of crackers. I miss my father a lot and that memory rushes back to me at the mere mention of Diwali, especially since he is not around anymore.

My mother is here with me and my brother will be joining us soon. We will be celebrating the festival together.

I won't be working during Diwali because there will be Kali puja. This is something that is really important for us as Bengalis. So, during Diwali we go to the Kali ma's pandal in Goregoan. I love to burst crackers -- the safer ones and not the noisy ones.

We will also watch a lot of movies together. As I am a Bengali, I love to dress up for the Kali puja as it is a tradition from several years.

My sister is studying in Australia and I am going to miss her this Diwali. At the same time I'm happy that my father is coming down to Mumbai from Gujarat to be with us. I have no specific plans for Diwali but I know that I will celebrate Diwali with my family and friends. This will be the first time that I won't be shooting on Diwali so I will have a good fun.

I fondly remember going to Panchgani with two of my best friends and sister during Diwali. We had a blast.

For me Diwali is the time to indulge in as many sweets and it's like a reunion. We have the usual Diwali puja, relatives and friends come over. We visit each other's home and chill out. As a kid I used to draw rangoli with my sister for hours together but from last 4-5 years I haven't done any rangoli. I would never burn fire crackers even as a kid so every year it's a green Diwali for me. We just keep some diyas and put some lights to get the feeling of Diwali.

I like to watch people playing cards during card parties. Sometimes I ask my friends to play for me. Like every year this year too Ekta Kapoor will throw a card party at her place, which I will attend.

Udita Goswami last seen in the film Chase shares her afvourite Diwali memory.

Right now I am shooting outside Mumbai for my film Diary of a Butterfly. I'll be more than happy if I get half the day off on Diwali. The festival is incomplete without playing cards for me. Though I end up losing money most of the time it's important for me to play cards on this occasion. I like it because it's the best time to catch up with friends and have loads of fun.

I am planning to light some diyas and draw rangoli in my hotel balcony. This year too I will try and play cards with my make-up man, hairdresser and editor. Let's see who all will be prepared to play cards.

For me the feeling of Diwali with lots of lights only makes it special. When I bought my first house in Mumbai, I had told my interior decorator to complete the work before Diwali. I was planning to do lots of things for Diwali but unfortunately he (interior decorator) couldn't finish the work. On Diwali I just went to my unfinished flat, lit diyas everywhere including the cupboards (doors were not ready). My house looked so bright and beautiful that it was the most memorable diwali for me.

I generally try and draw some nice rangolis on Diwali, no ready-made rangolis for me though. Following the tradition I wear something Indian on the festival.

Rashmi Desai from the TV serial Uttaran on celebrating Diwali.

Diwali is my most favourite time of year, it is the festival of lights which engulfs the whole city and one can feel the positivity all around. I love the way the entire city transforms into a sparkling bride and everyone is invited for the wedding. I don't know any other festival which comes even in the vicinity of the grandeur and colour of Diwali. This Diwali I am planning to spend as much time at home.

The most magical thing about Diwali is getting up early on Diwali day and getting all dressed up and ready for the festival, I love doing rangolis and this time I am planning on doing something very special at my place.

I am planning on inviting all my friends home for a get together. I am planning to make everything at home that is something very unique about Diwali to me. The entire family gets into the kitchen to help out. I am planning to make karanjis and I am so excited about it. I am also planning to take all the goodies to my sets for everyone to taste, so I am all the more excited.

Every year, I get 4-5 grand as shagun money from relatives. I would keep the money signed by relatives and save it. I don't spend the money because it's a good luck charm for me.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her huband Raj Kundra are to throw a grand Diwali party at her new place which includes the who's who of Bollywood. When quizzed about it Shilpa refused to divulge any details.

I don't have any plans as such but I enjoy Diwali because it's the biggest festival for me.

I am celebrating this Diwali at my new place. So I will be celebrating Diwali with doing rangoli, puja and lighting diyas. I don't indulge in burning crackers because I think it's a complete waste of money.

I have already done my first quota of Dhanteras shopping. I am planning to prepare some sweets for Diwali. I am not a bad cook, my husband liked the sweets which I prepared some days back although I tried to make karanji earlier and it flopped.

I don't play cards; I am more of a poker player, which is a sport (smiles).

My advice to the readers is have an eco-friendly Diwali, avoid fire crackers especially noisy ones; don't burn up your money on fire crackers -- instead donate it to some needy people.