Love you, Zindagi..

For all the people wondering why I’m writing more than 2 articles in a month (I know, this is very rare), I am just back from watching a bollywood movie called, “Dear Zindagi”. Well, the reason that dragged me the most into the theatre was that it starred my favourite actor, eternal love, Dr. Shah Rukh Khan. (Get that smirk off your face, I really do love him no matter what you think). The film didn’t really release an official trailer but all it did was release a series of short teasers. So I could only guess what it was about (Though after watching it, I realised I guessed it right; SRK for the first time played a therapist). Now, obviously, I loved the movie (it featured my first love in all-new avatar) but there were several other reasons...

I have always believed that mental health along with physical health is what composes a happy life. Everybody knows what physical health is and takes many measures to attain the same. I’m sure many of you are guilty of walking or running an extra mile, exercising a few push-ups more or dieting the extra few calories, just to make sure. And you probably won’t hesitate going to the doctor if an infection runs for long or a high fever persists. What if you were feeling down, quite regularly, and lost interest in things you used to love? Would you go the doctor then or just wait for the “feeling” to pass, again? Will your family or friends suggest their regular tried-and-tested doctors, like they do for, say, a physician, a surgeon or an obstetrician? Think about it… Dear Zindagi confronts the social stigma around mental health. About how people who need a little bit of therapy to get better, refrain themselves from visiting a counsellor, scared of getting caught in the act.

It also deals with heartbreak and the pain that can spiral you into what seems like a bottomless abyss; or any reason for that matter. Sometimes, little things push you over the edge. It might seem silly to a friend or family, but that’s what breaks you. Suppressing your emotions will eventually result in you bursting into pieces with no one to help or hold your hand. Because, they never knew you had a problem. Nobody can understand your mental state other than you. Analyze it, if you feel you have the slightest of problems, talk to someone, reach out to a friend. Let someone help you. They say, even a mother doesn’t know her baby is hungry unless it cries. If you find yourself falling, ask help pulling yourself up, someone is always there to give you a hand. So accept you need help. There is nothing shameful about it, whatever be the reason.

The other thing that the movie talked about was loving yourself; about realising that once you love yourself, you don’t need someone else’s approval to be happy. It’s about appreciating the little instants in life that bring a smile onto your face. In another blog of mine written sometime earlier, I had said: Embrace your idiosyncrasies, work on your weaknesses and realize you may not be perfect but that’s the best part about being human. Love others too; don’t ever judge a person by what you can perceive on the outside – you haven’t walked a day in their shoes. Forgive easily – heartbreaks happen; move on. I believe this was one of the core lessons in the movie. The movie says at a crucial moment that, we should take people off the pedestals that we put them on, and see them as ordinary people, who are capable of making mistakes. Once we do this, we tend to forgive them like we would forgive ourself when we make a mistake – which would help in the healing process.

Another aspect of the movie was about taking your life into your own hands. Yes, easier said than done. But, I had read a quote in a book I was reading sometime back – do nothing and nothing happens. Life is about decisions, you either make them or they’re made for you, but you can’t avoid them. Rings true, doesn’t it? Don’t let someone else steer your life for you. Take other’s advice, but don’t let them make your decisions. Follow your passion, be the person you would respect, do whatever you have always wanted to do. Think outside the box. Chase your dreams till they have no other choice but be fulfilled.  And once they do, feel the happiness, and fill your heart with it.

For me, the best conversation was when Kaira ponders out loudly with Dr. Khan how nice it would have been if there was one perfect relationship. He answers by saying that, life should be about having many relationships, one for every activity you love doing and share with that other person, like, say, someone to discuss books or movies, someone for giggling and girly gossip, or someone just to contemplate on life, instead of putting pressure on only one single relationship. If we stop expecting everything from one big relationship, we find happiness in the tiniest of things at the most random moments in life, making it interesting and happier. How thought provoking is that?

So, before I sign off, let’s take a pledge: Let us seek happiness in the small things, laugh and cry our hearts out, lend a hand to someone struggling, learn to embrace our flaws and love ourselves, do things we love to do, follow our dreams, fall in love, face our fears and demons, and paint our life with a palette of bright colours.

Love,
Sravya