Bollywoood is giving a fillip to the idea of dealing with a heartbreak innovatively and is romanticising it by dumping sad songs for peppy breakup numbers, and giving out fun ways to move on.
From burning your ex's photograph to calling up one's former lover to vent out to dumping -- rather trashing -- the gifts, to going out to party -- there are many Bollywood-inspired ways to get over a heartbreak. And crying over one's failed love story is not one of them.
The options, in fact, are being transitioned into ways to celebrate Valentine's Day -- a day dedicated to the emotion of love.
So, if you feel guilty of being single on Valentine's Day, or have just joined the anti-Valentine's Day squad after breakup, don't just end the things on sour note.
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who helped in changing the notion with the hit song "The breakup song" in his "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil", feels getting over someone should be as easy as falling in love.
"'The break up song' is all about women's empowerment. Breaking up should be as quick and easy as falling in love," Johar said.
For rapper Badshah, breakups are musical -- as is evidentfrom his "The Breakup Song".
"Every boy or girl gets pulled to sad love songs that help them cry, of course it happened to me too, and now when I look back, I laugh at it," Badshah said.
Taking a cue from Bollywood, many restaurants have whisked up ways to celebrate heartbreak and have come up with schemes to include singles in the celebrations.
There's Break-up Box Challenge, a challenge to burn former ex's photograph to avail free food, and lots in store for singles as well.
Sneha Shetty, Head of Brand and Business at The Stables and Rodeo Drive, Mumbai, says they have integrated the celebration to further a social cause.
"After a lot of brainstorming, we had a few ideas like 'Break up box challenge' and many such which will help one get rid of any physical baggage which also will bring smile on a child's face when he/she receives something," Shetty told IANS.
The gifts will be donated to Angel Foundation. And for every gift/item they dump, they will get a free shot.
Explaining the motive to ditch the 'lovey-dovey' stuff, Shetty said: "Love as a word as a lot of dept and meaning. This is also a way of loving ourselves by letting baggage go. And gifting/donating less fortunate is a way of showing love."
Sumit Goyal, Gastronomica Kitchen & Bar from Delhi, says breakups are an important part of life as a new budding relationship.
The eatery has asked the customers to 'BURN YOUR EX' -- by burning his/her photograph -- and avail a free pizza and a drink. The initiative has been on since February 9.
"Surprisingly, the numbers were bigger than we expected. We saw a lot of couples accompanying singles burning pictures to help their friend move on. I saw a bunch of boys and girls connecting while burning pictures together.
"We have got around 200 people burning their ex's picture in the past few days while the patrons enjoyed the free pizzas and drinks. We saw a lot of happy content faces feeling good and relieved," said Goyal.
For the singles, Cafe StayWoke, Gurugram, has come up with special desserts, then Raftaar Lounge & Bar, New Delhi is giving out offers for singles, and Open House Cafe in the capital is also throwing a 'All Singles Getaway Version 2.0' party.
The Irish House is celebrating #Singlesweek. One just needs to write about being single and stick it on their freedom wall by expressing true feelings. The best one gets a chance to win free beers.
Sagar K. Datta, Author of "Sanaz", feels "Valentine's is a day equally for singles as much as it is for couples".
"It's a day in and about love so that can be for and with anyone and what better than having some good read along that takes you through a stream of emotions this Valentine's."
But Samir Parikh, Director of Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences at Fortis Hospital in Gurugram, says partying is not sufficient to move on.
"We need to understand that throughout our life, we keep on having very difficult and stressful emotional moments, breakup being one of them. Each of these needs to be seen as a learning experience so that in future we are able to do better and ensure that no negativity of this experience stays with us."
Parikh says having a good time with friends helps get over the negative experience. But that's not it.
"It is about how you live life after that as well."
