Relating to Shuddh Desi Romance
We were seated next to each other (since we usually bordered our two daughters on opposite corners) at a multiplex,12 years since our first daughter was born. We were there for Shuddh Desi Romance, a hindi movie released the previous Friday. Our kids, this time were not with us and quite rightly since it was a U/A rated movie. As per the review published in a leading newspaper, the lead actors indulged in 27 kisses, to count, and story was about a triangular relationship between a boy and two girls. We opted to avoid the pain of explaining this to our tween (a new term for kids aged between 10 and 12). As the lights inside the multiplex dimmed, I went 17 years back to recall my years as a teenager- half my today’s age. I had fallen for a girl when I was 18. Neither was it love at first sight nor a deliberate attempt to befriend a girl. It was by accident that we (my wife and I) became friends while assisting our respective friends for confirming their infatuation for each other. Our relationship matured over the next 5 years, in the interim, we continued to assure ourselves, ‘we are made for each other’. Marriage in those days was regarded as a passport, permitting couples to live together ‘forever’- please take note of quotes on forever. Shuddh Desi Romance is set in contrasting times to ours, when today’s young is picturised as impulsive and prefers to be noncomittal to their relationship. Within a few minutes of his interaction, the lead actor ends-up kissing the girl sitting next to him in a bus, enroute his would-be bride’s town. He is getting married the very next morning. In an instant, post the first few kisses, the actor, till now filmed to be doubtful of his decision, decides against getting married to the unknown girl he had agreed to. And the very next instant, he commits himself to spend rest of his life with the girl sitting next to him. The pace/ease of saying ‘Yes’ comes as a surprise to me. Doubts, faced by today’s youth about the longevity of their relationships and resistance to get married is well picturized in the movie. The lead actors are filmed to be agreeable for a live-in that offers them the choice to walk out anytime.
Despite we belonging to old school of relationships (that held commitment in high regard), neither one of us are critical about the concept of live-in. We are instead, appreciative of today’s youth, till they continue to regard marriage as a serious decision and take the plunge only when committed to be keep others and themselves happy (please take note of precedence to ‘others’ over themselves- this is typical of old school of relatioships). Finally, its about love and romance, desi will be our views and continue to be so.