Neeli Raen Bhi Usi Ke Naam...

Kajol in Yeh Dillagi (1994)

“I have always been frightened of loneliness—not the kind of alone in which I have no one else, but the kind where I lose myself somewhere along the way. I could never be on my own for too long and often needed the company of someone, anyone, to camouflage my fear. A movie ticket for one gave me heart palpitations. Eating alone woke me up to the constant stares and hushed whispers I anxiously assumed were directed toward my awkward self. I did not want to be reminded that no one had time for me, that I was not an errand they could fit into their busy schedules. The realization sank in after weeks of torture—why must I look the other way when others do so? Why must I fall victim to an ordinary, uneventful life when I have every ability to make it remarkable? Since then, I have become my own pair of crutches on days when my legs don’t work as smoothly. If I feel gloomy, I go for a lone walk or buy myself dinner. A movie ticket for one is source of escape, not desperation. The comfort that comes from solitude is deafening compared to anything others may say about me. Upon discovering the soulmate within myself, all I can say is: this looks like the start of a beautiful friendship.”

MANISHA KOIRALA in Mehbooba (2008)

Yahudi (1958) | dir: Bimal Roy

“What makes you believe I will still be standing here until you decide I am worth the wait?”