"2 States - One Love", the name of this film itself holds a surreal power that binds two people in an eternal, promising bond for a lifetime. This film that's 7 years old today, yet the beauty of which lingers in my mind to date, stands out because of its simplicity & vulnerable reality.
As a young Indian girl, like many others, I too have grown up dreaming of having a perfect love story & a happily ever after, but the reality remains that marriage in a diverse country like India is not easy. The tale of Krish & Ananya is one that all young couples resonate with because the torment of family, society & caste is what we too face, along with them.
The proposal & their beautiful wedding are my two favorite scenes, having some nuanced yet gorgeous parallels between them. The duo faces a big dilemma that threatens their relationship before both events, but their love always brings them back to each other. No amount of fights, misunderstandings or societal pressure deters them from following their heart.
The determination in Krish's eyes when he first asks Ananya to spend her life with him, & later when he does all that he can to win her back after they break up, show the man's love, respect & fear of losing her.
The blushing smile on Ananya's face when she first accepts his proposal in the middle of her job interview, & when she finally sees him on their wedding day, shows how eternally grateful she is to have found a lover like him.
All that they went through during their journey: every fight, every kiss, every joke, every smile & every tear; they went through it together. The look of awe they shared on their wedding day every time they glanced at each other was of an unbelievable triumph, that secretly whispered a joyous "We Made It."
Love can be a tricky thing. It never comes easy, & in a country like ours, we have to work extra hard to make a relationship flourish, not only for ourselves but for everyone around us. Stories like 2 States restore our faith in the power of love because no battle is so tough that it can't be won if you stand together, hand in hand, with dreams in your eyes & love in your hearts.
By Aashvi Shah