Self-love and self-care have become vital topics in recent years. With mounting pressures and busy schedules, we often neglect ourselves. However, taking good care of our mental, emotional, and physical health is crucial.
Bollywood movies over the decades have imparted important life lessons about self-love and self-prioritization. Through their storylines and characters, these movies showed that self-love forms the basis of healthy relationships, productivity, and well-being.
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Movies That taught us Self Love
Queen – Loving Yourself First
Queen: (2014) tells the story of Rani, whose fiancé calls off their wedding just a day before the event. Heartbroken, she decides to go on her honeymoon solo. This trip becomes Rani’s journey of self-discovery and independence.
Through Rani’s character, Queen teaches some key lessons:
- Don’t depend on others for your happiness – be self-reliant
- Explore life on your terms
- Prioritize loving yourself before chasing love from others
Rani embodies the power of solitude and self-love. The movie highlights that true contentment comes from within.
Dear Zindagi – Healing Through Self-Care
Dear Zindagi: (2016) revolves around Kaira, a talented cinematographer struggling with setbacks in her relationships and career. She seeks help from a psychologist named Dr. Jehangir Khan. He helps Kaira heal by practicing self-care, managing negative thoughts, and finding meaning in her work.
Some of the biggest lessons from Dear Zindagi are:
- Don’t be too hard on yourself – be your own best friend
- Take breaks from routine to nurture your talents
- Let go of past hurts through self-reflection and forgiveness
The movie underscores the significance of mental health for overall wellness. It advocates self-care practices like journaling, yoga, and cooking – activities that spark joy.
English Vinglish – Accepting Yourself
Sridevi delivered an iconic performance in English Vinglish: (2012) as Shashi. A homemaker who faces mockery from her own family for her poor English skills. To prove herself, she travels abroad alone to learn the language.
Shashi’s journey speaks directly to self-acceptance and self-belief:
- Don’t let others dictate your self-worth – be confident of your strengths
- It’s never too late to gain new skills or follow unfulfilled dreams
- Surround yourself with people who appreciate you for who you are
English Vinglish made millions reflect on the subtle ways we undermine ourselves. It reinforced that knowing your worth precedes excelling at anything.
Students, Educators – Making Self-Love a Priority
The hectic pace of academic life often forces students and educators to ignore self-care. Whirlwinds of assignments, classes, responsibilities, and anxieties frequently blur the line between productivity and burnout.
However, empirical research on mental health indicates that self-love is key to managing stress, avoiding fatigue, and showing up as your best self. Making self-care a priority enables you to spread more joy and have deeper human connections.
Some self-love tips for students and educators include
- Start a 20-minute “daily wellness practice” – yoga, meditation, stretching, etc.
- Maintain a gratitude journal to shift focus to blessings
- Prepare nourishing meals and hydrate well
- Prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep daily
- Learn when to say no – don’t overwhelm your schedule
- Take occasional social media/news breaks
- Treat yourself with compassion; appreciate your efforts
When educators practice self-love, they pass on the merits of self-care to students as well. Together, little actions that serve health and wholeness can make classrooms happier spaces!
Key Takeaways from Bollywood Movies About Self-Love
Some concluding thoughts on Bollywood films that teach us self-love lessons:
Focus on your intrinsic worth – Don’t gauge your value by material possessions, appearances, toxic relationships, or others’ opinions. You are whole as you are.
Healing is an inside job – While external guidance helps, sustainable happiness comes from self-inquiry, forgiveness, and nurturing your whole self.
Invest time and effort in yourself – Nothing matters more than your health and inner richness. Prioritize pursuing meaningful goals and self-care rituals.
Bollywood often holds up a mirror to society through relatable characters and story arcs. These movies gently nudge people to be kinder to themselves and spread that compassion further. After all, self-love is an endless resource – the more you cultivate, the more its ripples extend outwards!
Does Bollywood mostly portray self-love negatively – as selfishness or narcissism?
Historically, yes – the “hero sacrificing himself for family/love” was more dominant. However, modern movies are consciously showing self-love in a healthy, uplifting way. Movies like Queen, and Dear Zindagi have spurred this shift.
Do these movies have a narrow representation of self-love – focused only on female leads or romance?
Earlier it was limited. But newer films depict different aspects of self-love across ages, genders, and genres. For example, Chhichhore showed male friendships; English Vinglish had a middle-aged woman lead.
Any tips for educators on teaching self-love concepts from Bollywood movies?
Yes, relate the storylines and characters with students’ struggles – academics, relationships, failure, etc. Encourage them to discuss and pen their self-care action plans. Lead by example in prioritizing your self-care too.
How can caregivers inspire self-love in children through Bollywood cinema?
Show them emotive snippets from such films. Sharing stories of resilience helps kids respect their feelings, practice self-compassion, and pursue their interests. Also, discuss daily self-care activities for their whole-self nurturance.
Is the portrayal of mental health issues in these films ethical and trauma-informed?
It’s improving but more sensitivity is needed sometimes. Integrating expert input when depicting triggering situations, and highlighting available support systems shows healing is nonlinear – such conscious filmmaking helps destigmatize real-life struggles. Ongoing dialogue with mental health professionals can make Bollywood more educative and ethical in its portrayal.
Bollywood has an incredible influence on consumers of all ages and backgrounds. By thoughtfully leveraging this soft power, the film industry can normalize the self-kindness and self-advocacy that every human fundamentally deserves.