Hot cross buns and Easter are pretty much synonymous for Ileana D’Cruz. With a mom who is quite a ninja when it comes to kitchen skills, it is not too difficult to imagine the kind of delectable Easters the actress has grown up with. Talking about what Easter means to her, the actress says, “My mother loves celebrating it in a very religious manner. We would go to church for days before the festival. After the mass, Easter Sunday would be a day of goodies!”

She adds, “The best part about having a mom who can dish out scrumptious meals like a genie is that festivals become all the more fun. She is pursuing a course in culinary arts. So, she comes up with new recipes all the time. One thing that’s special, which she always makes for Easter, is hot cross buns.”

Ileana tells us, “However, she reinvents it every time. Every year, there is something new on the menu, something that she will experiment with, and somehow, it becomes a classic. So, every year has been different, but the constants have always been hot cross buns and Easter eggs, for sure.”

This year, given the pandemic, Easter will be very different for the actress. Ileana says, “The pandemic has changed not just the way we celebrate festivals, but practically everything for everybody. It definitely has muted festivals and for a good reason. But there’s no denying that I miss our festive family get-togethers. Last Christmas, I missed the big parties that mom would host with all her friends coming over, and everyone crowding over a massive table full of food. So, it’s different for sure. I have a big family and have had the chance to hang out with them over the last few months. So for now, I am going to stick with those memories until I can spend the next festival with them.”

Ileana’s work takes her places, as she is constantly travelling for shoots and more. She tells us, “The best part of having a job that entails a lot of travelling is that you cherish coming home all the more. Fortunately, for me, home is where my family is. Easter has been amazing just being with family wherever they are. So, for me, literally, home is where the heart is.”

Talking about her best Easter memories, she recounts, “I have had so many memorable Easter Sundays while growing up. They were all lovely. However, the most memorable Easter has to be the one I celebrated with my nephew in the USA a few years ago. It was absolutely joyful to see a whole bunch of kids. There was a massive lawn booked for them. They had to go on an Easter egg hunt. It was absolutely lovely watching them do that. It made me relive my childhood as well.”

Ileana will be spending a quiet Easter at home this time around. “This year, Easter is obviously going to be kind of lonely for me, because it is just going to be me. But I’m thinking of making it special by going out and getting a few Easter eggs, healthy ones for me and some for my friends and maybe, spread my own kind of Easter cheer,” she says.