- Noor Mood
Lessons From Munjulika
Cue to Ami Je Tomar…
I was just watching a new short film, “Gulabo Rani” by Usman Mukhtar. (Check it out on Youtube if you haven’t, don’t forget to turn the lights on). And it made me think of all of the “horror” characters I’ve seen and I instantly thought of Munjulika.
Munjulika was played by Vidya Balan in Bhool Bhuliya and then by Tabu/Kiara Advani in Bhool Bhuliya 2 and I’m guessing by Kartik Aryan in Bhool Bhuliya 3… (But let’s talk about why a third part is even being made later).
For the purpose of this word vomit, I’m talking about the OG Munjulika only. Her journey in the movie is complex, starts off with her being the villain and ends up with us rooting for her. It’s a tale of love, loss & memories. Memories are overrated but also let’s not talk about that right now.
She’s first introduced as the spirit haunting a centuries-old palace. She’s shown as a tragic figure, a gifted dancer whose hopes and dreams were snatched from her. Her life was cut short by betrayal. Her desires were left unfulfilled and she kept coming back for getting some sort of fulfilment. Her character arc goes from an enigmatic spirit to a sympathetic figure whose pain speaks to us.
As the story unfolds, we witness the depth of her suffering, the injustice she faced, and the longing she has carried for centuries. The character teaches us valuable lessons about the power of love, the weight of grief, and the importance of forgiveness. Her journey demonstrates that even in the face of insurmountable pain, healing is possible when we confront our past and embrace our vulnerabilities.
Her journey serves as a poignant reminder that while our past may shape us, it does not define us. I might be the dumb one here. You know, mixing up reality and life. Once again. There are some important lessons to be learnt from Munjulika. This might sound idiotic but I swear we can learn from her. Trust me.
There is a reason why the past is past. Relishing in the past, holding tight to the negativity that once was is only counterproductive. No good has ever come out of living in the past. Also, the Dr. might have been a vessel to take her out of that past but it was Munjulika that took the steps. The steps to lose the past and to move on.
Forgiveness is important for you. Forgiving someone is for you. When you forgive someone, truly from your heart - you also let go. Let go of everything that hurt you, that made you feel that way. Made you question yourself. When you forgive, you let go of the piece of you that made you feel that way. So forgive. Forgive everyone like you mean it.
The weight of grief is real. If there’s any weight that you need to lose, it’s this. It weighs you down and makes you heavier and emptier at the same time. This feeling is hard to describe but it bites you from the inside, slowly. Slowly takes away every ounce of you but you gotta lose it. You have to put the work in. Go to the mental gym, and rinse your thoughts. Run through everything, again and again until there’s nothing left. Don’t live on a diet of sulking & self-pity - instead, eat all the positivity in the world, one bite at a time. Enjoying every single bite of it.
Healing is only possible when you look at everything in the eye. Directly. Don’t put anything under the rug. Face everything, like the badass you are. Don’t delay your healing, and don’t shy away.
There is a way forward. There will always be. Sometimes you’ll take time to find the correct path for you, you’ll fall and you’ll fail. The journey is the best part. Enjoy the ride and make your way out and only look forward.
The end. Khudahafiz.
