Comfort space is personal to every individual. It allows you to be yourself and cherish the moments as they are with no judgment whatsoever. As for me, movies and music do the job. Speaking about movies, I have been exposed to the world of cinema from quite a young age, thanks to my mom – a cinephile herself. The way one turns to watch movies that teleports them to a world far away from reality is truly magical; that is the impact of cinema.
Comfort space for someone might mean reading a book sitting by the window sill but for me, it’s being able to re-watch my favorite movies. A few movies are following the trend of being re-released in the theatres. The way the audience has been owning the film as their own yet again is beyond exhilarating. While re-watching those films, sitting in the audience listening to their hoots, a wave of nostalgia swept over me.
This nostalgia made me think of a couple of instances that influenced my upbringing. It is only now that I realize the extent of that influence as I type it out. Whenever we sit down for a meal at the dining table as a family it always reminds me of that scene from Nuvu Naku Nachavu in which Prakash Raj reads out a letter he had written to his mother. Milli’s goofy and spontaneous character from Khoobsurat helped me realize that it is okay to let loose and live in the moment. The prolific writer Abhimanyu, from Meri Pyaari Bindu, helped me understand that I could express emotions best through words. A sense of humor as comical as Raju’s from Khaleja, can lighten up the mood in the tensest of situations.
I am pretty sure I’m not alone when I say this, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter also had its charm on me. Discussing the various characters and analyzing the story with my friends was my favorite pass time. The idea of staying true to your roots and believing in oneself in the darkest of times was one of my earliest life lessons. The heroic traits exhibited by the characters like developing a strong sense of justice, choosing your friends wisely, and that hope can never be extinguished have helped me adjust my perspective to look at the bigger picture.
Another distinctly vivid memory of mine dates back to watching the Disney animated adventure film Bolt. The story revolves around a cute little dog named Bolt and his owner Penny- the lead characters in a television series. The striking up of an unusual friendship between a dog, a cat, and a hamster made me realize how even our seemingly natural enemies can become friends in the right situations. When Penny’s family moves away from Hollywood to the suburbs, the moral I took away was that you don’t need superpowers or luxuries to lead a happy life but being surrounded by the people who love you will make you equally happy.
Movies made me look at the world from diverse perspectives. Learning about various emotions through the screen, smiling when the characters are happy, and shedding a tear or two when they are sad has created a sense of empathy and compassion in me. Movies have also acted as a catalyst for forming so many of my meaningful friendships. When you give a movie reference and they reply with something that follows, that’s how you know they have passed the vibe check. The number of times I get lost in thought talking about how graciously a few scenes roll out with my friends is countless! We sit there creating core memories: discussing the million other possibilities as if we were playing that role. It always made me feel at home.
When Robin Scherbatsky said: “You cannot jump to the end. The journey is the best part.” cinema proved this. Though cinema is perceived differently by each individual, there is always something you can take away from it.
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