Deepavali is family time: Vikram Prabhu

Deepavali begins as early as 4 am at An nai Illam. Ramkumar Ganesan, Dushyant Ramkumar, Prabhu Ganesan and Vikram Prabhu wear new clothes, take oil bath and burst fire-crackers as they believe in keeping memories and traditions intact. “We have to wake up as early as possible on Deepavali day. Then the eldest member in the family applies oil on our heads, then we take shower and wear our new clothes gifted by family,” says Vikram Prabhu. 

As the actor starts explaining, he gets nostalgic and continues, “This is how it has been ever since I can remember at our house and it continues till date,” he adds. He says nothing much has changed since his grandfather’s days, when it comes to celebrating the festival. 

“Thatha believed in having breakfast at 8 am sharp, even on the festival days. So we as kids, used to get ready and burst the first crackers early in the morning and then join him for breakfast. Moreover, thatha preferred non-vegetarian delicacies for breakfast on Deepavali. 

So even after he left us, we still burst fire crackers early in the morning and then have a nice heavy breakfast along with our uncles, aunts and cousins. Apart from vegetarian delicacies, there is always one non-vegetarian dish in memory of thatha,” smiles Vikram.

As he narrates their Deepavali rituals, he says that not many families these days get to celebrate the festival in a traditional manner as most people live in nuclear setups. “But we at Annai Illam strongly believe in the values of a joint family. Every Sunday is a ‘joint family day’ for us. We make it a point to sit, chat and eat together atleast for one meal on the day. It is a lot of fun. 

Deepavali is also an occasion when the entire family comes together to enjoy the day,” says Vikram Prabhu. Later, in the day, the entire family sits together and shares happy memories. “Cousins have fun time throughout the day and we all share happy memories. It is all about being together and spending time with your family,” he adds. 

On a parting note, Vikram Prabhu wishes readers of DTNext a very happy Deepavali and says, “Make it a point to spend time with your family on festivals like Deepavali as they are always our first priority.”