by Subhash K Jha

Vidya Balan:"I stopped playing Holi long back...when I was in school. Beyond a point, Holi became an excuse for lewd behaviour. Rang se khelna achcha lagta hai. But beyond that, I don't enjoy it. In Mumbai especially, I feel Holi is becoming too colourful for women. The streets are just not safe for women.

Having said that I must say in non-metropolitan places like Madhya Pradesh the essence of the festival is still alive. The basic mood of Holi where all inequalities are washed away in the flow of colours is taken a little too seriously by some aggressive elements in our society. To drop all inhibitions isn't to make life miserable for others, specially women. It's impossible for women to step out of homes.

I didn't step out on Holi day before evening. Holi khelo apnon ke saath. You've no right to get boisterous with strangers. Invasion of privacy is hardly a way to celebrate. So celebrate with people who are friends.

Having said that, I must say Mumbai is a relatively safe city for women. They can and they do deal with hooliganisn when they have to be. For years I was train commuter in Mumbai. And I was a victim of eve-teasing a lot many times. There have been instances when I've slapped men and screamed at them for staring or misbehaving.

I was warned against retaliation. But I think if male aggression isn't nipped in the bud, they finally gather the courage to get worse in their behaviour. Societal fear is so large that women keep quiet when they're subjected to indecent behaviour. Not me. When I commuted by train I'd pull up men for staring at me. As a woman you instinctively know a man's intention by the way he shakes your hand."

Nandana Sen: "I've just got back from New York. So I'm a little jetlagged. Still I'm looking forward to getting all messy, making lots of noise and dunking my best friends in purple water. The purple water is a big energy booster."

Hrithik Roshan: "Generally Holi is a grand affair for me and my folks back home. I'll be shooting for a song in Rio de Janeiro. Thanks for reminding me of what I'm going to miss back home."

Kunal Kapoor: "Not doing anything on Holi. I've got a photo session the next day. Can't afford to risk colours on my face. So I guess I'll just chill at home."

Anupam Kher: "I am not a very Holi kind of person. Though I do recall some really wonderful times back home in Simla with my parents and brother. Now of course Holi has changed, and for the worse. No Holi for me this time. I'll be shooting at Kamalistan for Money Money"

Farah: "I'll be hiding. I don't like playing Holi at all."

Sammir Dattani: "I've some really fond memories of some really wild times with my friends during Holi. We would dunk our friends into coloured water and dance to Aaj na chorenge bas humjoli... Very filmy but very real stuff. Holi used to be a huge tamasha for our family. But now with an element of indecency creeping into the festival we don't want to go beyond some mild celebrations, and that too at home."

Raima Sen: " I'm shooting for Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd on Goa. Let's see what the unit has in mind."

Shabana Azmi: "Shooting in Goa...Only Zoya (Javed Akhtar's daughter) who's producing my film could make me stay away from my home during Holi. Abba(dad Kaifi Azmi) loved Holi. It an open house every year for us. Plenty of bhang, lots of besura singing and a fixed menu."

Simi Garewal: "I'll be locked up in my house and hide under the bed if friends descend on me...as I've done every year."

Aftab Shivdasani: "Sorry I don't celebrate Holi"

Madhur Bhandarkar: "I've a toothache. So this year, just a small Holi with my wife and some close friends. But Holi in the film industry used to be almost synonymous with R.K Studios. Raj Saab and later Randhir and Rishi used to throw such lavish Holi bashes. I remember attending two of them. It was like watching Bollywood's who's who marching in and out of the RK compound. Now there's Bachchan Saab's holi bash."

Anu Malik: "My father passed away two months ago. I don't think it would look right if I played Holi. I'm invited to the Zoom Holi party. But will it look nice if I attended? But I won't stop my daughters. Maybe I'll even join in with them a bit. But last year everyone was jiving to my song Do me a favour let's play holi."

KK: "I'll be shooting on Goa in for Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. So no Holi."

Mohit Ahlawat: "I'll be shooting with Ramuji. And since he doesn't believe in playing Holi I guess we'll have no celebrations on the sets. I remember back home in Haryana Holi was a time of masti with the family. Do I miss home at Holi? Nope. Too busy to miss anything."

Rajiv Khandelwal: "Right now I've time so I'm spending time with my family in Jaipur for Holi. But I'm not really a Holi person. Given a choice I'd rather curl up in my room with a drink and a book."

Dino Morea: " I love Holi. It's the time to disco. Me and my brothers have had ourselves some wild times in Bangalore. In Mumbai it's far less fun. Going to a friend's house for a Holi party and getting completely coloured up."

Nikhil Advani: "I'll sleep till late, eat well and watch LOST. It's completely addictive and diametrically opposed to my Salaam-e-Ishq. Who wants to go out on the streets for Holi? It's just not safe."

Sujoy Ghosh: "I'm a Holi person. Love the colours. But Dad passed away. No Holi."

Sohail Khan: "Celebrating Holi with my bachcha and his friends."

Smriti Malhotra-Irani: " It's a day set aside for family and friends. The day will start with traditional rituals. Then people will start to drop in. We've already begun preparations."

Victor Bannerjee: "Will be placing gulaal at Lord Krishna's feet, then at my parents' feet. After sunset will dine at a fabulous Argentinian restaurant twenty minutes away from my hotel in Houston."

Deepi Naval: "Will have a ball playing Holi at my home in Madh Island"

Nakul Vaid: "Shooting next day. Can't afford to have colour on my face.But otherwise I've had truly memorable Holi celebrations in the past with my family and friends. My best friend and I are quite notorious. We pull out all our friends from hiding, especially those who don't want to play. But please, not strangers. Holi is to be enjoyed with friends."