As the biryani plates are laid out at Bayroute, BKC and relatives begin to visit his home, Munawar Faruqui gets ready to celebrate. But this Eid feels different. The comedian and actor is celebrating the festival with a new addition to the family – his daughter, Barirah.

“This Eid feels wholesome. It’s family time. A lot is happening, but in the middle of all that, I just feel thankful. That’s the most important feeling,” says Munawar. The celebrations are special this year for another reason, too. A day before Eid, he marked his anniversary with his wife Mehzabeen, while his son Mikhail’s birthday is tomorrow. Munawar calls it a “triple celebration”.

Munawar goes on to share how being a father to a girl has brought a new kind of joy into his life. "I thank the Almighty every day. Especially this year, it feels different. In Islam, there’s a saying that if God is happy with you, He gives you a son, and if He is very happy with you, He gives you a daughter. So, I feel this year has brought a different kind of happiness into my life. Work-wise also things are good, but this Eid is special because we have a new member in the family," he shares.

For Munawar, Eid has always been about togetherness. “Now, apart from fatherhood, I have other responsibilities as well, so Eid days are absolutely packed. Relatives visit us in the first half of the day and then we go to their homes later. There’s always a daawat and celebration. Eid is about family. Without family, there is no Eid.”

At the same time, the festival also brings memories of loved ones he has lost over the years. “Since childhood, Eid has always been with my mother and father. At times, I get emotional because the people I used to celebrate it with are not around anymore. It’s not a good feeling, but at the same time, there’s still so much to look forward to,” he says, adding how gratitude has always been central to his celebrations.

“Even if we had very little, we celebrated. Even if we had a lot, we celebrated the same way. We learnt how to enjoy Eid in kam se kam and in zyada se zyada too. That feeling has stayed with me till today.”

This Eid, Munawar also wants to embrace the spirit of sacrifice in a more personal way. “Sacrifice means letting go of something you love. There are so many things we don’t even use anymore, but we hold onto them emotionally,” he says with a laugh.

“I think I should finally go easy on my collection, especially of caps and shoes. I genuinely want to do some charity this year.”