Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says during festivals, he always tries to keep himself free to spend time with his family.

Amitabh, who hosts popular game show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC), greeted soldiers at the Wagah Border in an episode of the show.

A soldier named Pushpika Sahu asked Amitabh whether he is also unable to take leave or celebrate festivals with family members because of work.

To that, Amitabh replied: "I try to keep myself free during festivals so that I can celebrate them with my family, but sometimes if I am out of India for shoots, I can't be with my family."

When the "Piku" star asked the soldiers to share their wishes to the country for Diwali, one of them said: "We want our country to be happy always and request the citizens to have faith in us. We wish and pray that everyone celebrates Diwali with love and happiness."

During the episode, the solders also sang popular Amitabh song "Dekha na hai re socha na".

"Kaun Banega Crorepati" is aired on Sony Entertainment Television.

This Diwali, Amitabh and his family will not celebrate the festival with a grand party like every year, as his daughter-in-law Aishwarya's father Krishnaraj Rai had died earlier this year, said a source close to the actor.