Many times we watch Bollywood movies because we want to forget about the stresses of our personal lives. We want to become entranced by the glamorous song and dance sequences, be mesmerized by the looks of the stunning actors, and become captivated in the world the director has created. The two to three hours that pass by while watching a Bollywood movie may be a great distraction from one’s personal problems, but Bollywood movies can have an even better use! Instead of temporarily distracting you from your stresses, they can teach you how to overcome them!
Here are 5 awesome Bollywood movies that give 5 fun and effective techniques on how to deal with stress!
1) Jab We Met: Stop Bottling the Stress Inside – Let it Out!
What better way to learn how to cope with stress than from the free-spirited and lively Geet Dhillon, played by Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met? Kareena’s character teaches Shahid Kapoor’s character (Aditya) the importance to release all frustrations that are held inside. When Aditya can’t get over his ex-girlfriend, Geet insists that he burns the photo of her that he’s been keeping in his wallet. “Meri baat mano, bachon jaisi baatein karo. Jala do isse. Tumhein bohot achcha feel ho ga. Arre jala do saali ko yaar!” Not only is she able to convince Aditya to burn his ex’s photo, but she also insists that he goes to the bathroom and flushes the picture down the toilet and out of his life. While Aditya had been insisting this behavior was childish and immature, after listening to Geet he had to ultimately admit, “Yeh bewakoofi ka kaam karke mujhe actually achcha lag raha hai. I’m actually feeling better!”
And of course, no one can forget the best scene that took place in Jab We Met! When Geet was upset about her ex-boyfriend, it was Aditya’s turn to help her out by calling up her ex-boyfriend and insisting she get ready with all the cursing she knows – and she did just that! To vent out any frustrations, sometimes you just have to let it all out, even if it means ending the conversation with “Teri Maa Ki…!”
Keeping the stress bottled up inside and not sharing it with others can only make it worse. If you are feeling stressed, do what Geet would do! Express the frustrations, burn it, flush it out of your life, and move on.
2) Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi: Find a Hobby
Our lovely Taani Partner, played by Anushka Sharma, did an excellent job of handling stress. Poor Taani was so excited to get married, but unfortunately, due to circumstances, she ended up married Surinder Sahni (Shah Rukh Khan). Everyone can understand the stress she must have gone through when she realized she married a man who spends his day at work saying, “Punjab Power, lighting up your life, Surinder Sahni this side ji.” To cope with the stress of her newly married life, she decided to continue her hobby of dancing and signed up to participate in a dancing competition. The decision that Taani took to relieve her stress is a great one, because it allowed her to divert her attention to something that she enjoyed doing!
As difficult as life may become and as stressed as we may be, we should always make time for hobbies we enjoy doing! Taking a break once in a while and doing something you are passionate about can help relieve stress and keep you strong enough to continue overcoming the stresses in your life.
3) Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani: Enjoy the Great Outdoors
Scholar Naina, played by Deepika Padukone, was definitely getting tired and burnt-out from studying so much. Being a medical student is no easy task, and it required Naina to constantly be studying to the extent that she had to sacrifice a social-life to do well academically. One day, Naina ran into an old classmate at the supermarket who informed her that she and a few friends would be going on a trekking trip through the Himalayas and into Manali. Naina had been stressed out about her studies, and to relieve her stress, she made a spontaneous decision to embark on this journey and join them! Naina was genuinely happy when she was up in the mountains and was running around, trudging through the snow! A break from studies and to become one with nature was exactly what she needed to relieve her stress!
There comes a point in life when after working very hard you can feel overwhelmed and stressed and just want a break. And if you have been working very hard then a break is something you deserve! Do not be so hard on yourself that you forget to have fun once in a while! If you are a student like Naina who is constantly indoors studying, or a workaholic in an office who feels they don’t have time for things like nature, remember that it is ultimately your decision to make time for what you feel is important. If you can’t go on an all-out trek like Naina, a hike or walk through a park one day wouldn’t hurt. 🙂
4) Shaadi Ke Side Effects: You Do You
Siddharth Roy, played by Farhan Akhtar, was a happily married man. Until his wife got pregnant, that is. Siddharth just wasn’t ready to be a dad yet. To de-stress he would spend some time away from his wife and kid on weekends. First he stayed in a hotel with the excuse of a business trip, and later he moved in with a male bachelor because hotel bills were getting expensive. Clearly, Siddharth should not have lied to his wife about why he was staying away, and he is at fault for not telling her how he felt. It is also not okay that he ditched taking care of the baby on weekends just because he didn’t feel like it. However, his idea of finding some space for himself where he can unwind and relax is not a bad idea to de-stress! Everyone needs some “me time” once in a while where they spend some time alone to wind down.
Siddharth obviously should have been honest with his wife, but an important lesson to understand is that sometimes it is important to do what’s best for you. Too much isolation from others is unhealthy, but in moderation it can be a good way to relax a little! By making time for yourself and doing what’s best for you, you can have a better relationship with the other important people in your life.
5) Anjaana Anjaani: Travel!
Akash and Kiara, played by Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra respectively, are probably one of the most stressed out on-screen couples in Bollywood. Akash owed millions of dollars and had gone bankrupt, and Kiara was upset because she caught her fiancé cheating on her. They were both so stressed, that they tried to commit suicide… multiple times. When their efforts to commit suicide went in vain, they decided to drive from New York to Las Vegas and go on a vacation since Akash had always been too preoccupied with work to go. This roadtrip was exactly what they both needed to re-discover themselves and find a new meaning to life. Sometimes, all you need to relax is someone who will be by your side and will go on that long drive and adventure with you.
Travelling is something that not enough people take advantage of! People can become so comfortable living in the bubble that is their life that they are afraid to venture out and see how much more the world has to offer! If you are feeling stressed, go somewhere you’ve never been before. If you can’t pay for gas from New York to Las Vegas, or don’t want to fork up a lot of money for a flight, you can still find some place nearby you’ve never been and go check it out. A change in scenery can always do someone good and take away from the monotony of life! Never assume that you are too busy with life to see the world that you are a part of.
Next time you go to the movies, don’t let it be an experience that distracts you from your own problems and stresses, but instead search for viable solutions that may be right in front of you! You may be surprised as to just how much you can find!
Have you come across any de-stressing tips from Bollywood movies? Tell us in the comments below!