The Making Of...

Movies are the stuff dreams are made of – especially Bollywood ones. Those characters just know all the right things to say, with a perfect hint of smirk on their lips and a spark in their eyes. It’s as if the actors performed an open heart surgery on a girl and took notes on all the things that make it melt. But as much as I love watching those melodramatic Indian movies, I hate those suckers for giving me such unrealistic expectations of love.

How come in my history of running after the subway and trying to hail a cab… I have not once met a guy waiting at the other end with his arm extended out to me? Not once have I been to a reception where my hair was blowing ever so smoothly (the entire time). Nor have I ever been so lucky to have been the fancy of a debonair and be pursued relentlessly with his charming (and perhaps melodious) ways.

I clearly have this all wrong. Maybe my prince charming isn’t going to be the groom’s bestman, or a guy I meet on a trip to Europe, or the friend I’ve grown up with. Lets face it, I’ll probably just meet him online or at a speed dating event. Or most likely, at an overcrowded club in the city while he clumsily spills his drink on me. Maybe I’m not supposed to find true love inside an expensive restaurant, wearing an expensive dress, drinking expensive wine.

Whether you realize it or not, we subconsciously draw many of our expectations from these fictional plots. My past relationship was quite tumultuous and dramatic – almost as good as a B grade Bollywood movie. It had all the right ingredients: innocent girl, bad boy, the vixen, family disapproval, betrayal, passion, suspense… the only thing missing was some background music – and a happy ending. Sometimes I even think that maybe he’ll show up at the last minute at my mandap, perfectly poised, armed with a filmy dialogue and profess his love and win everyone’s heart over. "Cut!" Back to reality.

I guess in the ongoing battle of “life imitating art” vs. “art imitating life” there should be a tie. Because ultimately, our lives are much like a movie in which we are the lead – and sometimes the villain or even just an extra. Maybe I just need a new agent to get me better roles.