Unrequited Love
Don’t let me write about this topic again.
This post is not to romanticize unrequited love. Unrequited love is underspoken from a woman’s standpoint. I am attempting to write on this topic. Movies describe the pain of unrequited love from a Man’s standpoint wearing male shoes possessing all the entitlement. Even then, I don’t think they have described unrequited love rightly. A characterization closer to reality was seen in the movie Ennu Ninte Moideen, acted in by Tovino.
From woman’s standpoint, it is seldom discussed or debated. Culturally woman’s bodies and emotions are tied by a rope called “Sanctity”. This rope is woven together by patriarchy, caste and religion. Generations of oppression have led women into a confinement that doesn’t allow them to speak about their love and desires. There are women, young girls, coming out of these cocoons and starting to express themselves.
Unrequited love is the love that is given but not reciprocated. It’s the letter that was delivered but not opened, opened but not read, read but not understood, understood, but not answered, answered, but not reciprocated. There is no obligation for a love tobe reciprocated or returned. Lovers know this, yet they choose the mission.
Unrequited love is never hope. It is the opposite. It is the truth, known so clearly, that love is not reciprocated or cannot be reciprocated.
Women in love / unrequited love have been seldom depicted in movies, as far as I remember. I know a movie played by my favorite female lead; we all remember her as Poo Parvathy. Yes, it was Poo. Her love for Thangarasu didn’t change under any circumstances.
When love is unrequited, it often feels like standing at edge of a point where realization and apathy both diverge and converge. With women, who have known years of conditioning it is the innermost struggle to let go and hold on. In fact, it is a known truth that there has been nothing to hold on to.
Infact, it is a known truth, there has been nothing to hold.
Women have never been afraid to be vulnerable, but at this moment, it is a thin line overlapping the boundaries of self-esteem, judgment, and vulnerability, choosing to express.
The timeline may go on, the yearning remains, but the reality of not being chosen may dry the throat and lead to slowly accepting the reality and moving forward with the remains and memories. Just because Thangarasus don’t realize the depth of Mari’s love, it doesn’t mean that Mari’s love was any less. Thangarasus remain etched in the hearts of Mari for a lifetime.
