Dear YJHD

 It's already been 11 years since 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" was released, and it remains my all-time favorite movie.

Initially, I loved it because both of the main characters are my favorites. Somehow, I find myself re-watching the movie every year, without even realizing it at first. My brother would throw tantrums whenever I re-watched it.

Later in life, I realized that I wasn't re-watching it just because it's my favorite movie or because my favorite actors are in it. The movie became my safe space. The characters became my friends, and whenever life gets hard, I turn to them. I spend time with them.

During those 2 to 3 hours, they transport me into a new world, helping my mind forget about the chaos happening in life.

I can confidently say I grew up watching it. This movie has been with me through different phases of my life. It gave me those charming Bollywood vibes when I watched it for the first time.

Later on , it stayed with me when my school friends had to move on different paths in life.

It comforted me when I didn't realize I was in love; when I couldn't understand what love was, and couldn't convey it. It taught me that not every love story ends with a relationship.

This movie helped me embrace all the female friends I have. It showed that girls always show up for one another, unlike other movies that often depict female friendships as insincere.

I learned that when life puts you in a place where you have to live far from everyone, you can still choose to come back to where you belong. Losing everyone and moving far isn't freedom,if you're emotionally disconnected.

This movie helped me not to feel inferior for choosing family over anything else. Being rooted isn't same as being naive, even if people of your age think the otherwise. It's okay to be stable and self-disciplined, even if it doesn't make you fit in the trend. You can still be funny, goofy, and open to new friendships and people around without losing yourself.

I still feel a slight blush whenever I remember someone in college telling me that the song "Subhanallah" reminded him of me.

In general, in any movie, we usually relate either to the hero or the heroine. That happened with me for this movie too. But growing up, I realized I relate more to Aditi than anyone else. I think she is the most underrated character but emotionally rich and a bit more realistic.

She is real. Whatever life took from her, she learned, evolved, and came back stronger. She's not the main character in the movie, but we see so much growth in her. She quietly tells us, "Choose yourself."

Her character evolves more than anyone else's. She realizes that letting go brings  peace. She resembles many simple girls. Her character shows the innocence of first love.

She always holds her friends together. She relates to all the girls who are a little confused, whose lives look bright and fun on the outside but are all messy inside. She relates to all the girls who cannot express what's going on in their minds but desperately want to be understood by others.

Her wedding created a blast. Every girl fantasies for a wedding like Aditi's.

She understands that it's important to choose the man who values and understands you. Love cannot always be defined by charm or the main character energy; rather, it should be about emotional safety, understanding, and mutual respect.

Love shouldn't just be fun; it should bring peace into life. Love should assure emotional safety; it needs to help us remove the masks we wear.

Her love is more about comfort and calm. It's a quiet love story.