Born in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), actor Taha Shah Badussha could not celebrate Diwali in a big way in his initial years. But it all changed after he moved to India, where he was mesmerised by the opulence of the festivities.

“In the UAE, celebrations were restricted to small sectors. Everybody would dress up in traditional attire and pray, but in India, everything is just so extravagant,” he tells us, adding, “When I first came here, I wasn’t used to it, but the celebrations made me fall in love with Diwali. I began to understand the culture and have even started playing cards with a few friends.”

Badussha, who did part of his schooling in India, looks back on that time with fondness. The actor shares, “In school, all the kids would gather and we would have a few fireworks. Being around those people, dressing up and just being a kid is something I cherish.”

The 36-year-old also says that he particularly enjoyed fireworks. “Those were really fun, except when there were a couple of mishaps — rockets flying into people’s houses, that wasn’t very fun. I remember a time when I lit a firecracker, and it fell on the ground and literally chased me!” he says.

As an adult, Badussha loves getting to share the warmth of the festival with others: “Diwali for me symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. It touches my heart to have so many friends and being able to go all over with them celebrating Diwali.”

Ask about his favourite festive rituals and the actor replies, “Sending gifts to people that I love, and that list is growing exponentially. Making everybody happy is one of the best rituals.” He also notes that this year has been made so much more special due to the success of Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. 

“The show and (filmmaker) Sanjay Leela Bhansali have given me so many blessings. It’s because of him that I’m here today and this Diwali has lit up my life,” he signs off.