It's that time of the year again. People across the nation are all set to celebrate the festival of Diwali. Our homes will be illuminated with diyas, the colours of rangoli will add to its beauty and the freshness of flowers will elevate the atmosphere. To get you into the festive spirit of Diwali, we've taken a nostalgic look at some of our favourite Diwali scenes from Bollywood movies. These classic scenes transport us to exquisitely decorated sets and mouthwatering feasts, all while perfectly encapsulating the essence of the festival of lights.
1. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (14 December 2001) - Netflix: Film enthusiasts will always remember the famous Diwali scene from Karan Johar's blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Set between Rahul (played by Shah Rukh Khan) and his adoptive mother Nandini (played by Jaya Bachchan), the scene is a direct reference to Lord Ram's return to his kingdom of Ayodhya following a 14-year exile. It shows Nandini Raichand sensing her son's arrival on the occasion of Diwali.
2. Mohabbatein (27 October 2000) - Prime Video: The song Pairon Mein Bandhan Hai in the movie Mohabbatein is centred on the festival of Diwali. The music video of the track featured the quintessential Bollywood visuals, lights and dancing as the actors celebrated Diwali with great joy and spirit.
3. Hum Aapke Hai Koun (5 August 1994) - Netflix: This film offers a nostalgic trip back to the simpler 1980s and the realm of family dramas. The catchy tunes capture the happiness of the family during the Diwali celebrations, when they discover that Renuka Shahane's character is pregnant.
4. Golmaal 3 (5 November 2010) - JioCinema: Golmaal 3 features a memorable and humorous scene involving the ensemble cast of Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgn, Shreyas Talpade, Arshad Warsi, Kumal Kemmu and Johnny Lever. On the occasion of Diwali, the characters set up a stall to sell crackers. Things take a wild turn when they unintentionally set off and burst all of the crackers in a string of raucous accidents.
5. Padmaavat (25 January 2018) - Prime Video: A beautiful scene in Padmavat depicts how people celebrated Diwali in ancient forts. With imaginative decorations and the traditional setting, the movie presents a dreamy image of those times.
6. Vaastav (7 October 1999) - Prime Video: Raghu in Vaastav is remembered as one of Sanjay Dutt's most memorable roles. Diwali serves as the backdrop for a moving scene between Raghu and his mother, played by Reema Lagu. The actor delivers his famous line, "Ye dekh pacchass tola," in this scene.
7. Taare Zameen Par (21 December 2007) - YouTube: Taare Zameen Par is another film that depicts the sombre aspect of Diwali. In the festival scene, Darsheel Safary's character Ishaan Awasthi muses over the horror of being forced to attend a boarding school. Ishaan's rising anxiety overshadows the joy that others experience on Diwali.
8. Zanjeer (11 May 1973) - Prime Video: The festival of lights plays a significant role in this iconic movie. Zanjeer begins with a Diwali scene in which a young Vijay Khanna (Amitabh Bachchan) watches an unnamed man kill his parents. In the final scene of the movie, Bachchan's cop hero discovers that Teja (Ajit Khan) is the murderer of his parents, which also takes place on Diwali. After that, he battles the villain and defeats him.
9. Swades (17 December 2004) - Netflix: Swades's song Pal Pal Hai Bhaari reminds us of Ramayana as it shows Ravan's vadh (killing) by Lord Ram. This particular scene takes place on the occasion of Diwali. When the village experiences a power outage just after the Ravan dahan, the villagers light up diyas and firecrackers.
10. Sadma (8 July 1983) - YouTube: The soulful number Ae Zindagi Gale Laga Le from Sadma (1983) is filmed on Sridevi and Kamal Hassan. The song depicts the couple celebrating Diwali by lighting firecrackers and sparklers.