Key Highlights
- Nostalgia on KBC: Amitabh Bachchan recalled traditional Diwali preparations from his younger days during a special episode of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati'.
- Diyas reused every year: His family preserved the previous year's earthen lamps, soaked them in water, dried them and lit them again.
- Mustard oil lamps: The diyas were filled with mustard oil, which he called "kadu tel", before the wicks were lit.
- Ranbir's memories: Ranbir Kapoor earlier shared how Diwali began with Lakshmi Puja at R.K. Studio and a visit to his grandmother.
- A simple "perfect Diwali": For Ranbir, it ended with firecrackers by his father and dinner with the family.
Today's Diwali often means fairy lights, designer décor and gifting hampers. On 'Kaun Banega Crorepati', Amitabh Bachchan reminded viewers of a simpler time, when the festival began with a pile of last year's earthen lamps.
During a special episode of the quiz show, the host recalled the traditional Diwali celebrations of his younger days and the old practices that came with them.
Big B's Diwali of Saved Diyas and Mustard Oil
"Many festivals are tied to memories, Diwali, for instance. We belong to an older generation, back then, when Diwali approached, we would carefully preserve the earthen lamps (diyas) from the previous year," Amitabh Bachchan said.
He described the ritual in detail. "We'd soak them in water to refresh them, let them dry, and then place them all around the house. We would fill them with mustard oil, what we called kadu tel; and then light the wicks. Only then would the celebration truly begin."
His memory carries a quiet lesson that fits today's conversations about sustainable festivals. Reusing diyas, lighting them with mustard oil and preparing them by hand was how many Indian homes once celebrated, with care and little waste. For many viewers, especially those who grew up in small towns, Big B's words will bring back memories of their own family preparations.
Ranbir Kapoor's R.K. Studio Diwali
Before this, Ranbir Kapoor had also shared his childhood Diwali memories on the show. He appeared on 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 18' with Sai Pallavi to promote 'Ramayana'.
"Diwali ka matlab khushiyan hain... bachpan se jo Diwali hoti thi, pehle hum R.K. Studio jaate the, wahan ek Lakshmi puja karte the, phir hum meri dadi Shri Krishna Kapoor ko milne jaate the, woh hume mithai deti thi, mujhe paise deti thi jo bahut saare paise the (Diwali means happiness... Since childhood, our Diwali celebrations would begin with us going to R.K. Studios, where we would perform Lakshmi Puja. Then we would go to meet my grandmother, Shri Krishna Kapoor. She would give us sweets and give me money, a lot of money)," he said.
He added that after returning home, the family performed Lakshmi Puja and his father lit firecrackers outside. "Jaa ke ghar mein Lakshmi puja karke, papa bahar kuch pataake jalate the, aur phir hum sath mein khana kha ke so jaate the, and this was a perfect Diwali for us (After going home and performing Lakshmi Puja, Papa would go outside and light some firecrackers, and then we would eat together and go to sleep, and this was a perfect Diwali for us)."
Together, the two stars' stories show that Diwali memories are rarely about grandeur. For a screen legend and for the heir of Bollywood's best-known film family alike, the moments that stayed were simple: lamps, prayers, sweets, a grandmother's blessings and a meal with family. That warmth is exactly what makes festive episodes of 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' connect with audiences across generations.
'Kaun Banega Crorepati' airs on Sony Entertainment Television.
With inputs from IANS