Only two days left for the festival of colours and gaiety. The countdown begins. The Men&Women team polled celebrity revellers across the country to find out what has given Holi that special buzz over the years...

Jaya Bachchan
I've been playing Holi since I was a child. And I was lucky to marry into a family for whom Holi is just as important. There have been so many memorable Holis that to pinpoint any one would be difficult. But one which I remember distinctly, though a little sadly, is when Shweta was seven years old. She was suffering from chicken pox and she couldn't play. She and Abhishek loved the festival so much that it was sad to see her sitting by her bedside. The only saving grace was that a couple of her other cousins too had chicken pox at the same time.

For the last four years, we haven't celebrated the festival. However, this year we will be having a colourful celebration.

Gitanjali Kirloskar
At one time, Holi was great fun. For almost five years, we used to go to Hyderabad to celebrate with our close friends Alok and Karuna Sriram of DCM Mills. We would spray water colours, play with pichkari s (water pistols), get high on bhaang and binge on chaat . In Bangalore, we have had dry Holis — we go over to a friend's place or throw a party on our terrace.

My most memorable and enjoyable Holis though, were in my childhood years in Kanpur. My grandfather would invite about 200 people to play on our lawns and tankers would be hired. We would throw colour on unsuspecting people and generally have a blast. I miss those celebrations, which were leisurely and relaxed affairs, unlike nowadays.

Karan Johar
My memories of Holi are associated with the Bachchans. I'd go there with my father. I'd absolutely hate to splash around in coloured water. But I'd hate it even more if everyone left me alone and didn't dunk me into the water! I guess that's a part of the duality in my personality.

I want to have my cake and eat it too! Abhishek, Hrithik, Aditya, Uday and I, have spent almost all our Holis together with Amit uncle and Jaya aunty. One memorable Holi was when there were a lot of dhols playing with Amit uncle and Govinda taking centrestage and dancing in tandem. Needless to add, all eyes were on them. It was such a riot!

Ritu Beri
I've always been a bit shy of celebrating Holi. I guess I'm just too scared to go wild. Of course, in Delhi, Vineet Jain's Holi parties are really popular and great fun too. I attended some of his Holi parties, till a few years ago. They were quite freaky. But I'm not such a Holi person anymore. I just lock myself in the house, sit inside and tell everyone, 'I'm out of town'.

Subbirami Reddy
Celebrating Holi is celebrating life itself for me. That's because on this day, I really let myself go. I leave behind every business of mine and get into the celebration mode with gusto. The Holi party which I had hosted at my residence in Hyderabad last year was one party I really enjoyed.

More than 100 people participated in the festivities. Every year, my wife Indira and I visit the homes of our friends on Holi. We spend a lot of time there, throwing colour on each other. In fact, I should say that I am in the best frame of mind on this day!

Rishi Kapoor
We discontinued the famous RK Holi bash 14 years ago, following our father's demise. In fact, some time before that, the festivities had turned into a messy affair. The invitees could not attend the celebrations, thanks to the gatecrashers! My father had asthma, but he insisted on the Holi bash because it was part of our tradition. As far as I'm concerned, I was never hot on Holi.

In those days, I was a busy star. Where was the time to get coloured red and blue? Also, the revelry that is usually associated with the celebration is perhaps not meant for me. I broke up with two of my girlfriends during Holi. But perhaps what happened five years ago takes the cake. A well-known PR company approached me with a proposal to restart the RK bash and charge people for participation!

Nafisa Ali
I'm a backbencher in Holi parties. I acquired this mind block in school, when my friends sprayed black paint on me. But I haven't become a spoilsport either, as I enjoy these parties, which are a thrill to attend. I quietly slink away to a corner only to watch others go wild. Of course, I mind my kids too. Later, I pull a prank on everyone and challenge them to remember their stupidities.

I've been a regular at Holi parties in Delhi, which I feel are fun and wild. I also entertain my friends at home and spend the days after Holi, cleaning the floors and furniture.

Rohit Bal
I'm just crazy about Holi. It's the time I play a million pranks on everyone and get away with it all. What pranks? I'm not going to reveal them, they're censored. I just go wild. Vineet Jain's Holi parties have always been such fun. They have that togetherness, love and essential spirit of the festival. They're an absolute 'must attend' on my list.

Sitara Devi
I started attending Holi parties only when Prithviraj Kapoor came to Mumbai with his entire family in 1938. Before that, Holi was a very private celebration with close friends. When Prithviraj came here with his father, stepmother and his entire family, Shashi was two, Shammi was eight and Raj Kapoor was all of 12 years old! I, of course, was 18.

It was actually Prithviraj Kapoor who started the Holi bashes, which are now copied by others in the film industry. At that time, we were — KN Singh and his family, KL Saigal and many others — staying at Khalsa College Road, Matunga, Mumbai. As we all lived in flats, we just went down to the road, Prithviraj Kapoor got a dholak and we all danced and celebrated Holi in style.

The public never misbehaved and joined in the fun too. Raj Kapoor, of course, started the RK Studio Holi bashes much later. From Shatrughan Sinha to Amitabh Bachchan to Prem Chopra, the entire industry would attend the bash. Dholaks, bhangra, bhaang, food, whiskey and brandy... everything would flow for the revellers. On Raj's last Holi, we sat and exchanged many personal memories, while he drank Bloody Marys. Waisi holi toh aur ho nahi sakti. After Raj's demise, I have stopped going for Holi bashes. Abhi aur kahaan jaayen hum?

Kareena Kapoor
Showbiz Holis were associated with RK. Those really were the wonder years. I remember being the brat of the pack. Lolo (Karisma) was quite the opposite. She'd prefer to sulk in the background. But, I'd have such a blast with my dad, uncles and aunts. My grandfather would dunk us into the pool, we'd eat great stuff, throw gulal on one another. And it was as if all roads lead to Chembur on Holi.

The galaxy of stars, the festivites... really, those were such great times! But everything stopped once my grandfather passed away. We never really celebrated Holi after that. It was as if all the colour had gone out of our lives.

(As told to Abha Srivastava, Nona Walia, Nayare Ali, Ch Sushil Rao, Niranjan Iyengar, Sudeshna Chatterjee and Jitesh Pillai)