Mollywood Times: Can You Really Write Your Own Destiny?

How many times have we been told to “write our own destiny”? It sounds great in motivational speeches, LinkedIn posts, and social media captions. But I’m someone who has always believed that no matter how hard you try to shape your own future, life doesn’t always turn out the way you imagined. There is another factor that rarely gets enough credit: luck.

Think about it. You can fight against all odds, convince your parents, and marry the love of your life. That’s definitely an example of writing your own destiny. But whether that marriage turns out to be happy and fulfilling depends on many things that are completely outside your control. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a toxic relationship simply cannot be fixed. It’s not always because you didn’t try hard enough. Sometimes, circumstances, timing, or plain luck have different plans.

The same applies to almost every part of life. Whether it’s your career, passion, business, or even a hobby, you can put in your heart and soul and still not get the outcome you hoped for. Success often depends on external factors that you simply cannot control. Effort matters, but so do timing, opportunity, and luck.

That’s exactly why Mollywood Times stood out to me. This Malayalam movie explores a similar idea, showing how life can take unexpected turns despite the choices we make. It’s built around a thought-provoking premise that feels relatable, and I was surprised that it didn’t receive the attention it deserved. In my opinion, it’s one of those underrated Malayalam movies that deserved much more recognition.

Naslen delivers another brilliant performance, and the supporting cast does a great job as well. The film also has a dark sense of humour that really worked for me. It balances serious themes with clever comedy without making either feel forced.

While browsing Reddit after watching the film, I noticed that many viewers believe the story is inspired by real-life events and have been trying to guess the filmmakers involved. That could very well be true, but we’ll never really know what happened behind closed doors.

Overall, Mollywood Times is an engaging Malayalam film that’s well worth watching at least once. It’s currently streaming on JioHotstar.

When People Forget You

Memory is such a weird thing. Some people remember the tiniest details about me from years ago, while others can’t recall spending time with me ever. They have forgotten entire moments. A day out, the day we talked, the laughs we shared.

I mean, how is that even possible? How can people erase entire days?

It also leaves you with a strange sense of self-doubt. Did you not make enough of an impression to be remembered?

A school friend, whom I reconnected with years later, couldn’t remember that we had spoken over the phone before. He was under the impression we had never talked. Another friend couldn’t recollect attending a wedding with me, which was actually the place where we first met. Even today, he acts as though we’ve never met. A few days ago, another friend, this time a woman, said she doesn’t remember going to a movie with me. It wasn’t just a quick outing. The entire day revolved around that one activity, so it was mind-boggling to realize that the memory had completely disappeared from her mind.

And then there are people like my niece, who can remember things from years ago with surprising clarity. Every time she brings up something I had completely forgotten, I’m both amazed and happy.

I guess this just proves that human memory is a fickle thing. It isn’t the perfect record of our lives that we often assume it is. So how can we depend on memory alone to define our current relationships or friendships and the moments that mattered?

Maybe someone, somewhere, did something incredibly kind for you, but you’ve completely forgotten it. Over time, you start believing they were never there for you because the memory no longer exists. You convince yourself there were no meaningful moments together, when in reality, they simply faded away.

Sometimes, forgotten memories say more about how the mind works than they do about the people involved.

It’s kind of scary, isn’t it? How hard do we have to try to hold on to the good memories? To make sure time doesn’t play the villain and quietly erases them for good.

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Photo by Baro

The Hidden Meaning Behind Beef Season 2’s Ending

A friend had recommended Beef Season 1 to me. But when I started watching, Beef Season 2 automatically played, and I didn’t realize it until much later. By then, I was already invested in the story, so I just continued watching.

And honestly, I liked it.

At its core, Beef Season 2 feels like a commentary on human greed and our constant desire for more. Almost every character is flawed, driven by personal ambition, self-interest, or the need to protect what they have. Nobody is entirely good or bad, which makes the series closer to life.

One of the standout moments for me was a powerful dialogue by Chairwoman Park about relationships in the age of capitalism. It was one of those scenes that makes you pause and think. The show is filled with similar thought-provoking conversations that explore status, wealth, ambition, and the choices people make in search of success.

It’s worth a watch. Streaming on Netflix.

SPOILER ALERT: Stop reading here if you plan to watch the series.

The ending featured a wheel, which immediately caught my attention. Curious, I looked it up and discovered that it represents the Buddhist Wheel of Life, or Samsara.

In Buddhism, the wheel symbolizes the endless cycle of human existence, where desires, attachments, and actions keep people trapped in repeating patterns.

The wheel depicts how the younger generation eventually slips into the same status-driven lifestyle they once criticized. Despite judging the choices of those before them, they end up chasing many of the same things. It reinforces the idea that while the players may change, the cycle of ambition, compromise, and betrayal continues.

In that sense, the ending of Beef Season 2 suggests that human nature remains remarkably consistent, no matter how much the world changes around it.

When Missing Someone Hits Out of Nowhere

One of the most romantic delusions I have ever come across is the idea that when you suddenly feel overwhelmed with emotions because you miss someone, it’s because they are missing you too. Some people even extend this belief to loved ones who have passed away, saying their energy is reaching out because they miss you.

It goes against every scientific explanation I know, yet there is something comforting about believing it. Sometimes, when a wave of grief or longing hits without warning, you are not looking for logic. You are simply looking for a reason that helps your heart make sense of what it is feeling.

Over the past few years, there have been many moments when I have found myself unexpectedly emotional while thinking about my father. It often happens out of nowhere. Sometimes it’s triggered by a quote about a father’s love. Sometimes it’s just a random thought that appears during an ordinary day. The strange thing is that it isn’t consistent. There are days when I can think about him and smile. Then there are days when the emotions become too much, and tears arrive before I can stop them.

In those moments, I find myself wondering: is this his way of letting me know that he misses me too?

I like to believe it is.

I treat dreams about him the same way. Whenever he appears in a dream, I see it as a small sign, a quiet reminder that the bond we shared still exists somewhere beyond memory.

It sometimes happens while thinking about friends who are no longer part of your life as well.

Maybe these are just coping mechanisms. Maybe they are the natural ways our minds process grief and emotional loss. Maybe hormones, memories, and nostalgia are working together to create meaning where none exists. But if a belief brings comfort without harming anyone, why rush to take it apart?

When you are grieving or missing someone you love, facts are not always enough. Science may explain what is happening in your mind, but comfort speaks to the heart. And sometimes, comfort is all you need.

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Photo by Andrew Neel

The Introvert-Extrovert Chat Paradox

Picture of two people looking at each other, depicting introversion and extroversion

Something that has caught my eye often over the years is the difference between how introverts and extroverts communicate in real life and online. I wonder if you’ve noticed it too.

I’m an introvert who loves writing and blogging. But I’m someone with a fairly extroverted chatting personality.

On the other hand, many extroverts I know are surprisingly quiet on chat. Some even come across as shy. Meanwhile, introverts like me can appear far more outgoing and expressive online.

This is where things get interesting.

Imagine a friendship that begins through real-life interactions. Someone gets to know your actual personality, and then later comes across your online personality or chat personality. What if they don’t like that version of you as much? The opposite can happen too. Someone may enjoy your confident, talkative online presence but struggle to connect with the quieter, more reserved version of you in real life.

I think this is where many misunderstandings and personality clashes happen today.

This post is simply an observation. It’s just something I’ve noticed while navigating friendship and online conversations.

As someone in my 40s, I didn’t grow up with this confusion because there was no online personality to manage. The people around you knew only one version of you.

I did start blogging during my college days. Over time, I developed an online personality that was more outgoing and expressive. The internet felt like a safe space where I could communicate freely. As someone who was studious and never benefited from what people call “pretty privilege,” writing online allowed me to share my thoughts without feeling judged.

My appearance may have changed over the years, but my introverted nature never really did. The internet continues to be a comfortable space where I could express my feelings and connect with others in a way that felt natural to me.

Today, we live in a digital age where friendships and even relationships are shaped by multiple versions of ourselves. Real-life conversations, text messages, social media interactions, blogs, and online communities collectively play a role in how others judge us.

Maybe that’s why getting to know someone has become both easier and more complicated than ever before.

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Photo by cottonbro studio

Day 1 of My Acne Scar Treatment Journey

So today, I officially started my acne treatment journey after finally consulting a dermatologist. I do not have severe acne all the time, but I do get hormonal acne around my periods, and I also have some stubborn acne scars from older breakouts.

I am also considering adding my cleaning lady and aunt to my will because both confidently told me I did not need a dermatologist. To be fair, it could also be because they cannot actually see my acne scars without their glasses on. But I am ignoring that reality. Sometimes you need to be in a “delulu” space for mental peace and happiness.

Type of Acne

My acne usually shows up as white pimples on my cheeks every now and then. The bigger issue for me has always been the aftermath. Even a tiny breakout tends to leave behind deep brown or pink acne marks that take forever to fade. That is honestly what pushed me to finally visit a dermatology clinic instead of experimenting with random skincare products from the internet. I did not want to ruin my skin further (has happened before).

After my consultation, I was diagnosed with Acne Vulgaris (Grade 2). This mainly includes recurring pimples along with small, inflamed bumps called papules and pustules.

Acne is generally classified from Grade 1 to Grade 4:

Grade 1: Mostly blackheads and whiteheads with very few pimples
Grade 2: More pimples with mild inflammation and small bumps (papules/pustules)
Grade 3: More widespread inflammation with larger painful bumps or nodules
Grade 4: Severe cystic acne with deep painful lesions and a higher risk of permanent acne scarring

So, Grade 4 is considered the most severe type of common acne.

My Customized Acne Treatment Routine

I am not going to mention the exact prescription medicines because treatments like retinoids should only be used under a doctor’s guidance. Skincare is definitely not one-size-fits-all, and self-treating strong acne medications can do more harm than good. So the products recommended were:

Facewash
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Retinoid (at night)

My dermatologist prescribed a simple skincare routine for me.

For cleansing, I was asked to use AHAglow Face Wash, which is available on quick delivery apps like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart. After cleansing, I was told to use Olesoft Moisturizer followed by Acne-UV Sunscreen during the daytime.

At night, she prescribed me a retinoid cream. I am intentionally not sharing the name because prescription retinoids should never be used without proper medical advice. I was specifically instructed to use only a pea-sized amount across both cheeks, forehead, and chin, while avoiding sensitive areas such as the corners of the mouth, the sides of the nose, and the under-eye area. This shows how strong the cream is.

Honestly, the retinoid is the part that scares me the most because it is known to cause skin purging in some people during the initial weeks. But at the same time, it is also considered one of the most effective dermatologist-approved treatments for acne and acne scars when used correctly.

This is officially Day 1 of my skincare and acne healing journey, and I plan to document the process, including the good, bad, and dramatic moments. My dermatologist did say results take time, so I am trying to stay patient and trust the process. to see her again after 6 weeks, so I am guessing it takes 6 weeks to see a change.

I’ll know the treatment is working when my friends have to reduce their phone brightness after opening my selfies. Fingers crossed.

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Photo by Ron Lach