Sampada’s grand Diwali plans

This year, the festival of lights will be special for Sampada Vaze, who currently plays the lead in Sony's Risshton Ki Dor. She, along with her US based brother, has decided to gift their folks a swanky car.

This model cum MBA gold medalist will drive down to her family home in Pune and surprise her parents with the special gift. She has already planned to wrap the car fancily and on reaching her pad, will ask her parents to look down. "I am sure they will be thrilled; we have been looking forward to do this for quite some time," says the excited Sampada, who debuted on the small screen with Star One's Pyar Ki Kashti Mein.

So what are her other plans for the festival? "It's get together time as all the Vaze relatives come down to Pune. There will be house cleaning, regular card playing sessions, massive shopping and gifting sprees. I normally wear western stuff but this time around I'm forced to buy one ethic outfit (a silk saree or a churidar kurta) for the puja. Earlier I would burn crackers, but after reading about how street children prepare them, I simply light diyas".

On Bhai Dooj she does not want any gift from her brother, as whenever he has made an effort of presenting her one, unfortunately they never fit her. So she has requested him not to waste money. "More than the gift it's the thought that counts," says Sampada who also has two music videos (Shaan's Aksar and Vaishali Samant's Kusumita) to her credit.

As she comes from a defense background, Sampada has lived in all the four corners of the country. Hence she says, "Diwali is the only true pan India festival. Though I miss the small town practice of personally visiting friends and relatives. Here in Mumbai we just send smses to each other. But then an impersonal greeting is better then no greeting at all!"

For those who have read between the lines, to make Sampada happy, greet her personally for Diwali wishes rather than just texting her!