Sophie Choudry (DNA; May 24, 2015)

Here’s a question that defines the modern era for so many: Why do many women believe they’re Carrie Bradshaw? What’s it about this fashion/relationship-obsessed character, who first hit our TV screens in 1998 that makes her relevant 17 years down the line? In an age when we stress upon the importance of a woman’s independence, her “choices” and the belief that she doesn’t necessarily need a man to complete her, secretly do many of us feel the opposite?

I moved to India from London over 10 years ago with dreams of pursuing singing, acting and dancing. Subconsciously, the die-hard romantic in me probably also believed that the land that gave birth to Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranja and other Bollywood romances, is where I’d find real love easily! While dishing out advice daily on MTV Loveline, I had the answers to a myriad of love problems down pat. Any college appearances I did would end up with girls and guys asking me for relationship advice as if I were their love guru. “Give her a call, write her a note, go up and say hi, be friends before you jump into anything more” were fail-safe options. Today, it’s a whole different ball game! Who has the time to invest in romance when Snapchat is quick, easy and pain-free?

It’s like Bhashkor says in Piku, “She is financially and sexually independent... need basis only!” And that’s true of almost every 20/30-something unmarried woman I meet! Not a bad thing at all. Is that the whole story? You see, I represent the strong, independent, ‘unafraid to be sexy’ woman pretty well. My best friend’s mom was horrified when, a couple of years ago, I told her I don’t need a man to define me..And it’s true! In fact according to me, no individual should define another.

As Carrie says, “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. If you find someone to love the way you, you love, well that’s just fabulous!” Nothing could define today’s women better; in particular, the modern Indian woman. They’re fighting for their own identity, exploring individuality, pursuing dreams and valuing themselves!

Should that be mutually exclusive of love? Is ‘love’ a regressive emotion, the new-age taboo, a hindrance? Does it need to fit around everything else that has taken priority in your life? I don’t think so. The main difference is that women today fiercely guard their independence because they don’t want to settle for less than they deserve; a sentiment Queen epitomised and the reason it was so loved! And that’s why Carrie is still relevant too. It’s fine to kiss a few frogs along the way, but I think what we really want apart from a kickass job is this: “Real, ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love.” That, and more shoes because we all know that when a girl wears the right shoes, she can conquer the world!