Arjun Reddy: How not to screw up your life

The Other Side
Aug 26, 2017 · 2 min read

Anger and Will. Two things that can take you anywhere you want. In the case of Arjun Reddy, it took him down the road of destruction. Because the bitter truth is, you can never force someone to stay with you forever. People leave. And that was something his genius brain could never comprehend. But despite all the agony he undergoes post break-up his blinded love keeps him coming back to her against all odds.

Arjun Reddy’s suffering is so satisfying to watch. Partly because deep down we all wish we had that luxury to suffer like him. Drugs, alcohol, women. None of these are affordable for the middle class man of today who has a life to live, a job to go to. Many of us can only fantasize to go through a suffering as tangible as his for our problems in real life. The movie “Arjun Reddy” leaves us with a clear image of what it is like to have your life turn into a nosedive and hit rock bottom. This movie reflects the attitude of today’s generation at large, a society where self-destructive behavior is often sympathized with. It is of no surprise that Arjun Reddy too enjoys his suffering. Self inflicted emotional pain can turn addictive as it is the best source of self-pity for a person. Add abuse of alcohol to this and you have a deadly combination ready to wreck your life.


Destroying your life over someone else is absolutely futile in my opinion. As tempting as it may feel to give in to self pity and turn alcoholic, the path of depression and substance abuse is a downward spiral. Your quality of life deteriorates and ultimately you will have nothing and no one left by your side. To romanticize alcoholism and leverage it as a tool to re-unite the lovers is a formula that has always worked for the Indian Cinema. But once you’re out of those theatres, you know that life never works that way.


“We live in a cynical, cynical world”
- Jerry Maguire (1996)

Yes, the world is cynical, and so are we. People leave. Hearts break. People move on. No matter what happens, life goes on. But you always have a choice in life. Your suffering will not change anything for you, and neither will it matter to that person who left. You are only what you make yourself to be. Emotional abuse is never the answer to get past your pain.

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