Unrequited LOVE

Are our Love always reciprocated? Are we not sometimes in those cross lines where Love becomes One-Sided? 

I bring to you one such movie which deals with Unrequited Love. A rare of its kind in the film circle especially in Bollywood. And it is directed by Karan Johar. Yes, you got it, Ae Dil hai Mushkil.

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I asked a lot of people about their viewpoints. most of them, especially successful couples' first answer was. "What kind of movie is this? Why make such type? It's so unconvincing."

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Well, I did not expect that at first. Then I understood, it is not easy for most to understand the meaning of unrequited love. And as History says, "Which cannot be understood, people fear and ignore it."

So, moving ahead, I will bring some key points shown in this film which highlights its Crux of what Karan Johar tried to tell the audience. Starting with when Ayan & Alizeh meet and strolls to the London Metro, He catches her hand and asks her whose name is tattooed on her wrist. She tries to ignore it but on repeated insistence of Ayan, she answers about the name, "My Apocalypse" 

She narrates her love for Ali, with whom she broke up due to lack of connection with her. They climb to the top of a building. he asks her which place is this, and she shows him a signboard have LOVE written in crooked random font. This is her "Sukon Ghar" consoling home. She comes here whenever she and loneliness wants to chat.

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When Ayan and Alizeh discover that their GF and BF are having an affair, Ayan cries like a baby. and Alizeh has to console him all the way on the road. He cries non-stop and is unable to go alone to his home, so she has to take him to her house. She gives him a demo with a pot that his heartbreak is a stupid thing. He is not in actual love with Lisa. The Pot hitting his chest, hurting him, is called "heartache" and no pot on chest is called "Lisa". In the morning, Ayan see her sleeping like a sleeping beauty and give her a hug and gets consoled that someone is there for him. Ayan's attraction towards her increases.

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They plan for a Heartbreak Holiday to Paris. They enjoy the splendid nature and at night by the glowing fire, Ayan confronts her that, is she not attracted towards him. She replies with a No. Ayan gets speechless and tells her it hurt his ego. 

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She asks him, if he is attracted to her to which he replies,"to some extent". She tells him that she has chosen to be his friend. best friend forever. "best-bestest-bestest-Friend". She explains that when love breaks, relations become weak. But a BFF will remains BFF as those circumstances won't arise. There is passion in Love. But in Friendship, there is Peace. He gets sentimental by her words and they hug each other.

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At the nest club, Alizeh sees Ali DJing and all her memories return. Ali tries to patch up with her. She agrees to listen to him. In this, Ayan is left out and she asks him to go back to London without her. She needs to stay back and hear what Ali has to say. Ayan becomes sad and goes back.

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Later, she calls him, telling him She is back to Lucknow, India and is getting married to Ali. Ayan is shocked to hear it, asks her not to do it. But she is adamant and instead invites him to her Wedding. He reluctantly agrees to visit India. 

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At her wedding, Ayan makes her realise that what she has done by not reciprocating his love. He lies down, puts a flower pot on his chest and lifts it, repeatedly. Each time the pot hits his chest, he tells her Name indicating her own demo of heartache. She cries and tries to explain him. Tears roll down his eyes too, but he gets disgusted and leaves her wedding.

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Ayan meets Saba, an Author of Shayris, at the Airport. A quick relation sparks between them, he narrates his whole love story. They start meeting frequently and falls for each other. At an art gallery show, Saba takes Ayan to introduce him to her divorced husband Tahir. and then their, Tahir says he still loves her in spite of Saba not in love with him anymore. 

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Ayan asks Tahir, "Is it easy to love someone, who does not return the love?" 

Tahir explains, "It is the most beautiful feeling in the world." 

Ayan is surprised, asking him,'Does not it make you weak?"

Tahir says,"Not at All. There is nothing like the power of unrequited love. it is not shared between between two persons. Only he has right over it."

"To love Saba, he does not even need Saba. If you want to gamble on love, do it. If you win her love it is great; if you lose, still, all is not over."

Ayan gets inspired and calls Alizeh to ask her whereabouts and patches up. He invites her to meet Saba. They meets, and here it is revealed that Ayan main motto was to make her jealous of Saba. But he finds that she is not all intimidated by Saba. she is cool.

He gets angered at her, ask her again why can she not love him. She tries to explain him, she loves him, but not in the way he wants her to love him. He gets more angry and ask her to get lost. They part again. 

Saba understand his love for Alizeh and decides that she has to leave him. Saba convinces him, telling that she loves him, but she has seen his immense love for Alizeh, and she cannot be back to the same place that way it was with Tahir. So she lets him go. 

Ayan gets shocked and runs to Alizeh. He confronts her, asking her to let him go. he can no longer keep on loving her. he needs to be released of the dead end.

The next scene shoes Ayan becoming a singing sensation with his heartbreak song "Ae dil hai mushkil." it breaks records and gets worldwide success. Two Years pass by  At such an concert, he meets Ali and comes to know that Alizeh left him long back. There is no trace of her.

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He runs to that 'Crooked Love" signed Building top where they talked on their first night. He knows she might come here and waits two days for her. Finally, Alizeh arrives and is surprised to see him. He argues with her about her whereabouts, and Alizeh removes her cap, reveling she has gone bald.

She informs him, she is dying of Cancer. He cries like a baby, again and she, again has to console him. He shaves his head and they bond together. He helps her with the treatment, hang out together and enjoys parties.

At one such night, in her home, he again expresses his love. the situation becomes heated. they shout at each other. She gives an ultimatum for the last time, she cannot love him. It is never possible. She simply cannot. He is still adamant and argues. She shows him the door and shuts it on his face.

In the Morning she runs to the airport leaving him a letter. Ayan realises now, that, it is futile to press her again and again. He is the Love and she is the Friendship. Love never understood Friendship. Now Love will lose Friendship with her. She considers him BFF. He rushes to the Airport and calls her at the last moment. Alizeh fakes an illness inside the plane, and is moved to the ground. Ayan gets serious and inside the ambulance she revels it to be fake. She jokes, that he came for her at the Airport. Now her Bollywood Dream of someone running to her at the Airport is also fulfilled. He apologises to her. She says, "There is no sorry and no thank you in friendship."

Ayan says,'I friend you."

Alizeh replies, "I friend you, too."

Ayan repeats, "I friend you for life."

Alizeh says, 'I friend you too, for whatever life left."

The scene cuts to present day of Ayan narrating his story in an interview. He asks for letting him sing a song, He sings the soulful Channa Mereya song. he expresses his immense love for her even now but in a calm manner, even as he understands Love cannot happen between them The films flashes some of their fine moments together. He ends the songs, gives a sigh and exclaims, "Done"

The film subtly shows that Alizeh died, later at some point in time; without actually showing her dearth. It was nice of the director to show this way. And, Ayan, in-spite of loving her one-sided, remains friends-only with her till her last breath.

My favourite song in this movie is "Alizeh" played at the end credits. The lyrics are captivating and music is heart-aching.

I felt so much form this movie. My heart was heavy for days. I was so inspired that I even read Karan Johar's Autobiography, "An Unsuitable Boy", to understand his affinity in making the movie. Each time I watch the film, I fell good, somehow among all the sorrows, there is  a consolation. A Sukun. A peace.

A strength like that, of having guts to love someone, even when, the other will never ever in life, reciprocate the love. That is really a strong attribute, a characteristic, to have such power to Love without getting love. 

Your turn to put any more key points you would like to share. Something I missed or ought to add. Feel free to share your comments !

Fellas !