Look around — whether it’s the the recent case of Priyanka Gupta, who was killed by Satish, her husband of four years; or the dramatic aftermath of the whirlwind affair of Rahul-Dimpy on reality television or the old-world romance between Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar.
With hook-ups like these hogging the news space, many youngsters feel that the concept of love in the new age world has taken new shapes and meaning.
Many say that the change took place with the Western concept of ‘dating’ becoming accepted in society. “The entire outlook on love changed when people started dating openly and being flamboyant, in order to add to their social and celebrity status,” says Manoj, a working professional and adds, “but that does not mean it is a bad thing as it has its own pros and cons.”
According to Swarnalatha Iyer, a consultant psychologist, the meaning of an intimate relationship or marriage for some youngsters is all twisted and wrong.
She says that many seem to consider it as a convenient arrangement or a business deal. “But it is neither of the two. It is not an arrangement where one can leave when the relationship starts being inconvenient; nor is it a business deal where one partner signs off due to a loss. It is a lifelong partnership with a good measure of adjustments, compromises and sacrifices thrown in,” she adds.
Neha, a college student, says it is the glitz and glamour, the on-screen and off-screen celebrity lives and the hook ups that tend to change people’s perspective of love. “On one hand, movies and serials show a fairytale image of what love is all about. Watching such shows creates a false illusion. I guess many get into such complicated relationships because they hope to change that illusion into reality.”
Reality shows like Emotional Attyachar, Swayamwar and Splitsvilla too have pushed people to see their significant other in a doubtful manner. “One must know when and where to draw the line. These shows are far from reality and send a very wrong message across. Trust is a precious bond shared between two people and these shows simply make people doubt each other under fake circumstances,” says Pragnya, a professional.
Today, the word ‘love’ may have lost its true meaning. Swarnalatha says that love actually means to let go. “But today, people hold on so strongly and become possessive about each other, thereby leading to a lot of problems. Their possessiveness is so strong that they are ready to kill in a fit of rage. This is not love, it is just plain ego,” she adds. “My sincere advice to all the youngsters today is do not be carried away by the romance in movies. Love requires a lot of effort from both sides which must last a lifetime.”
