Out of so many things that Karan Johar’s latest directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani does right, the one that struck the chord the most with me was the way Rocky hugged anybody and everybody. So many of us, especially Indians, only show affection to our romantic partners and that too only in private. We love each other, there’s no doubt about that. Why do we shy away from showing it then? We even hesitate and flinch when we are at the receiving end of such an innocent act of love, let alone going and giving hugs to others.
A couple of years ago, I was on a train journey with my family and we met a man who was also travelling with his family. He was epitome of being extroverted. He went and talked and laughed with almost every passenger in our coach, no matter their age or gender. We were just sitting and talking and enjoying and sharing food and I don’t remember how we reached that point but it was something about his father being in the Army and my father was also in the Army and we agreed on how Army dads were always distant and never really showed love or affection with even a small gesture like a pat on the shoulder. Hugging doesn’t even come into question.
That man, almost like in a movie scene, asked me and my father when was the last time we’d hugged. We couldn’t even remember. He made us hug then and there. I cried. It was a feeling I never knew I needed. At that moment, I wished people hugged more. Wish we had more Munnabhais and Rockys to make the world a better and happier place.
Mihir, now a practicing doctor, gracefully navigates the delicate balance between the demands of medicine and the enchantment of cinema. Amidst patient consultations and hospital rounds, he finds sanctuary and inspiration in the magical world of film. For Mihir, movies are not merely an escape but a reservoir of renewed energy, where each frame whispers tales that reignite his spirit. His dual identity as a healer and a cinephile weaves a unique tapestry, lending Review Tales a voice that is both profound and poetic.