Shilpa Shetty: 'I give poor children sweets and food at Diwali'

Shilpa Shetty has revealed that she prefers to give poor children food and sweets at Diwali instead of burning crackers.

The tradition of lighting firecrackers at Diwali has proved controversial with environmental campaigners and other groups.

Shetty told Mumbai Mirror: "I used to burst crackers but then as I grew up, I used to feel terrible about underprivileged kids not being able to indulge in the activity as crackers have always been expensive.

"My father used to say, burning crackers is burning money. I then decided to share my crackers with these kids. However, after finishing school I stopped buying crackers as it is also an environmental hazard.

"I now distribute food and sweets to poor children during the occasion. It's unfair that they see everyone around wearing new clothes, having a great time while they continue to wonder why are they an exception!"

In August, the Celebrity Big Brother winner said that playing a bald lesbian monk in The Desire: Journey of a Woman has been her most challenging role to date.

She has since said that the lead role in the independent film could be her last big-screen appearance.