Quick answer: The two most talked-about Telugu actress moments of Diwali 2026 (Sunday, 8 November) were Rashmika Mandanna, who celebrated with family in Japan and wished fans "Happyyyy Diwaliiiii from all of us to you, my lovessss!", and Rakul Preet Singh, who wore a hand-embroidered multicoloured Manish Malhotra lehenga with a pink dupatta and captioned her photos "Diwali wali feeling, after all ✨ Happy Diwali, everyone!" Below, we cover both, plus festive style ideas inspired by Telugu cinema's favourite traditional looks.

Telugu actresses are among the most followed faces of the festive season, and fans look to them for saree, lehenga and jewellery ideas. This feature sticks to what the actresses actually shared this year, as reported by entertainment outlets, and separates that from general style inspiration.

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Rashmika Mandanna: Diwali in Japan

Rashmika Mandanna spent Diwali on a family holiday in Japan with Vijay Deverakonda, taking a break from their shooting schedules. She posted a video wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous Diwali, and a series of holiday photographs, including one with Vijay. Her caption opened: "Happyyyy Diwaliiiii from all of us to you, my lovessss!"

Vijay shared his own pictures from the trip, joking: "When you find a way to do GOMA (Homam) in Japan on Happy DIWALI." Keeping a homam going on holiday abroad struck a chord with Telugu families who celebrate far from home. Read more in our Tollywood celebrities Diwali 2026 roundup.

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Rakul Preet Singh's Diwali look

Rakul Preet Singh's festive look was one of the season's most admired. According to Free Press Journal, she wore a custom, hand-embroidered Manish Malhotra lehenga with multi-hued vertical panels in pink, purple, teal and gold zari, a matching elbow-sleeved blouse, and ornate polki-and-pearl chaandbali earrings. TrackTollywood describes a rich pink dupatta and a lit diya in her hands in the photos.

Her Instagram caption: "Diwali wali feeling, after all ✨ Happy Diwali, everyone!" The post drew more than 211,000 likes, TrackTollywood reported. Rakul was also among the guests at Manish Malhotra's Diwali party with husband Jackky Bhagnani.

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Festive style ideas inspired by Telugu cinema

Telugu actresses have made a few looks festive favourites. These are general style ideas, not descriptions of specific 2026 posts:

LookHow to style it
Silk or Kanjeevaram sareeTemple gold jewellery and jasmine in the hair, a classic Telugu festive look
Half saree (langa voni)The traditional Telugu festival outfit for young women, with jhumkas
Multicoloured lehengaStatement chaandbalis and a contrasting dupatta, as Rakul showed
Pastel or ivory sareeMinimal jewellery for an elegant puja-day look
Anarkali or kurta setComfortable for family gatherings and lamp-lighting

Tips: choose cotton or silk for comfort around diyas, keep dupattas and saree pallus pinned when you light lamps, and see our firecracker safety tips if your family bursts crackers.

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Telugu families celebrating abroad

Like Rashmika in Japan, many Telugu families celebrate Deepavali far from home, in Dallas, New Jersey, the Bay Area, Toronto, London, Sydney, Dubai and Singapore, often through Telugu association events, temple pujas and home celebrations with the same muggulu, deepams and sweets as back home.

Frequently asked questions

Where did Rashmika Mandanna celebrate Diwali 2026?

In Japan, on a family holiday with Vijay Deverakonda, sharing a video and photos with her Diwali wishes.

What did Rakul Preet Singh wear for Diwali 2026?

A hand-embroidered multicoloured Manish Malhotra lehenga with a matching blouse, a pink dupatta and polki-and-pearl chaandbali earrings.

What was Rakul Preet Singh's Diwali caption?

"Diwali wali feeling, after all ✨ Happy Diwali, everyone!"

What is a traditional Telugu Diwali outfit?

A silk saree with temple jewellery for women, and the half saree (langa voni) for young girls, are the classic Telugu festive choices.

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Sources