Actresses are often expected to follow a strict diet regime to maintain their on-screen appearance, but when it comes to Holi, Vaishali Arora, who plays Ria in Udne Ki Aasha, throws all caution to the wind. For her, the festival provides the perfect excuse to indulge in all the sweets she craves. She says, “I love Holi because it’s my excuse to enjoy sweets!”
To be honest, I generally love sweets anyway, but Holi just gives me a bigger excuse to indulge. I also devour a lot of fried food — cheese balls, chips, and of course, loads of sweets! It’s the one time of year when I don’t feel guilty about it.”
When it comes to her character Ria, Vaishali imagines that Ria would embrace the fun of the festival, whether it’s dry or wet Holi. She says, “Ria is always up for new experiences. I think she must have enjoyed dry Holi in her childhood. But if her family invited her to play with water colors now, I think she’d give it a go! Ria loves to go with the flow and will definitely enjoy whatever her in-laws suggest if it means having fun.”
Reflecting on her own childhood Holi memories, the actress recalls a simpler time when practicality took precedence. She says, “As a child, we would always wear old, worn-out clothes for Holi — clothes that were easy to throw away afterward. But when I moved to Bombay, I was amazed to see people actually shop for new clothes just for Holi. Now, I too look forward to picking out fresh white kurtis or tank tops, pairing them with shorts, sneakers, and some cute earrings for the perfect festival look.”
On taking care of her skin and hair, she shares, “Holi can really take a toll on your skin and hair. So, I apply a generous amount of coconut oil to my skin, and a thick layer of sunscreen on my face. I also oil my hair beforehand to help get the colors out more easily later.”
Vaishali’s Holi celebrations have their fair share of funny moments too. “I once got so much color on me that it wouldn’t come off. It was hilarious — sometimes, I even had color on my teeth!”
Despite the fun, she admits she prefers a more contained version of the celebration. She says, “I’m not too fond of playing Holi, but if I had to, I’d prefer a dry Holi with gulal.” Water Holi can get too messy, and I’m not a huge fan of that.”
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