Dear Pallavi

Dear Pallavi,

It was so refreshing to see your story on screen, as we are so used to consuming narratives from the male perspective alone. I know yours is not just the story of an acid attack survivor alone, but so much more. It is the story of a brave girl who never gave up on her dreams. It is the story of a vulnerable girl who held onto a toxic relationship unknowingly.

You are one of the most real and relatable characters I've seen, due to various factors. You represent every woman who longs to breathe freely, who longs to spread her wings and fly high. I'm sure we all know atleast one woman who is like you or goes through the same circumstances. It made me wonder how come your story wasn't told long back, 'cos yours is one of the most common stories we see around us. I fell in love with you from the very beginning 'cos you were ambitious, strong and at the same time fragile and vulnerable. Just like most of us Indian women, who are a mixture of binaries.

Your relationship with your father made me smile. What more do you need when you have a parent who you can open up to, who trusts you, understands you and encourages you to achieve your dreams. I could literally see love in that relationship. But, I couldn't see love in your relationship with Govind. It was very disappointing to see an intelligent, educated, ambitious, strong, bold woman like you changing completely into a mere fragile, blind, fearful, submissive coward infront of the man you love. It was really sad that you could afford to be happy only if he approved of it. It was very bad to see you allowing yourself to be entrapped in a toxic relationship, mistaking it for love. But I understand, it's not your fault. We are all made to believe so, right?

We are all taught that it's absolutely normal to have a control freak, over possessive boyfriend/husband. We are all taught that it's natural for a man to demand dominance in a relationship. And believing this to be true, we have men trying to be the so called "man" by being dominant, controlling and over possessive while we have women trying to enjoy this until they realize that they are being suffocated. I know that there are many women out there who put up with a destructive relationship mistaking it for care and love. This is very evident 'cos many of us didn't even realize that Govind's "love" wasn't really love, until he attacked you.

It was very relieving to see you finally save yourself from the clutches of the reationship that held you captive and was killing your individuality. I wish all women and men out there come to this realization that control is not love, over possessiveness is not love. When someone behaves so, it's just them satisfying their control freak ego. When we truly love someone we give priority to their happiness than to our insecurities. Thank you for teaching us that we should give eachother the space to grow in a relationship. Thank you for teaching us that love is not about possessing someone. And that every person has the right to embrace their individuality. Thank you for teaching us that love should just be one among the many things in our lives and that it should not affect our life as a whole. Thank you for teaching us that we should let go of unhealthy realtionships even if it hurts.

It was very uplifting to see you show the strength to hold on to your dreams even when reaching there seemed impossible. Thank you for inspiring us to dream. Thank you for teaching us that dreams do come true if you have the courage to never give up. Thank you for teaching us that beauty is not in the physical appearance, but that who you are from within makes you beautiful. Thank you for teaching us that gender should not define a woman's happiness and freedom. Thank you for teaching us to leave the past behind and move on. I'm so glad you didn't give up on life even when everything seemed to have come to an end. You should be proud of yourself. I'm sure you are.

Your story made me smile, made me cry and at the end it made cry and smile at the same time. I just can't get you out of my head. But I don't want to either. Some stories are meant to stay with us forever, and yours is one of them.

Love,
VMR❤

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Film: Uyare (Malayalam)
Direction: Manu Ashokan
Story & Screenplay: Bobby - Sanjay
Production: S Cube Films
Pallavi: Parvathy Thiruvoth Kottuvata

(Thank you for giving us Pallavi.)