Tina Datta will be celebrating Diwali with her furry companion Bruno this year. While one might think she’d feel lonely being away from Kolkata and not celebrating with family, she begs to differ.

“Bruno is my baby. I wouldn’t want to leave him behind and fly to Kolkata to spend time with my family. Pets cannot express, but they also want to be around on special days. They come into our lives for a limited time span of 10-12 years. So, the time we spend with them is precious. So, I wouldn’t want to miss out on that. I have no regrets,” says the 31-year-old.

As someone staying alone in Mumbai, wouldn’t she feel lonely on Diwali? “While work commitments keep me busy these days, I have been spending time decorating my house. That helps beat loneliness,” she tells us.

Sharing how she celebrated the festival of lights as a kid, Datta says, “When I was in Kolkata, we would get a lot of crackers. We were four brothers and sisters, but we stopped bursting them later, as I felt strongly about the environment.”

She adds, “Bruno is scared of the loud sounds due to fireworks. So, I sit with him,” she smiles.