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.
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.
I started watching Off Campus because of all the social media hype surrounding the series. It took me almost two weeks to finish it, but honestly, that is how I watch almost every show these days.
In fact, it is not limited to web series alone. I often break movies into 30-minute sessions and watch them over several days like a series. I used to think it was because my attention span had become shorter. But then I watched both parts of Dhurandhar, which were over three hours each, in the theatre without feeling bored for a second. That made me realize the issue probably is not my attention span. The story simply has to hook me enough.
Anyway, back to Off Campus.
One thing I appreciated about this Amazon Prime series is that it fully embraces the campus drama setting and focuses on the lives of young adults. That said, I found it a little difficult to relate to the “college student” aspect because most of the cast looked quite grown-up and remarkably sorted out for their age.
As someone who belongs firmly to the K-drama enthusiast camp, I also struggled a bit with how physical the relationships felt compared to the emotional depth I am used to seeing in Korean dramas. The show does explore trauma, vulnerability, and personal growth, but it never quite reaches the level of empathy and layered storytelling that many K-dramas excel at. Because of that, the series did not emotionally move me as much as I expected.
At the same time, I completely understand why Off Campus has resonated with younger audiences. Beneath the romance, it talks about important themes like dealing with complicated feelings, open communication, consent, emotional support, and empathy. These may sound basic, but they are often easier said than done.
Personally, I enjoyed the friendship between Hannah and Allie even more than some of the main romantic storylines. The scene where Hannah finally chooses to share her story with Allie was an absolute tearjerker for me. Truly, blessed are those who have a friend like that in their lives.
I also found Allie’s romantic arc far more nuanced and interesting. She desperately wants to prove she can be alone without using relationships as a crutch and, in the process, makes some questionable decisions. Honestly, that felt very relatable because most of us have done our fair share of nonsense while trying to convince ourselves we have everything figured out.
Her confusion is what makes the storyline compelling. She has a partner who is not a bad person by any measure, but he is not quite the right person for her either. That grey area, where nobody is necessarily wrong yet things still do not feel right, makes for a much more engaging relationship story. Mika Abdalla aces the role. Her resemblance to the Indian actress, Mahima Chaudhry, is also uncanny.
For me, the overall vibe of Off Campus felt like a blend of 13 Reasons Why and Beartown. Because of that, it did not feel particularly fresh or groundbreaking. A quick Google search tells me that the Off Campus books were published around the same period as Beartown, and some even earlier. Still, my point is simply that the storyline felt familiar to me.
Overall, I think Off Campus is a decent one-time watch if you enjoy young adult romance. It may not have offered anything entirely new, but it was engaging enough to keep me watching.
Off Campus is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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.
I picked the Malayalam movie Ithiri Neram randomly last weekend. I usually choose movies based purely on my mood. Because of that, I often ignore films or dramas that are trending or getting a lot of attention. Sometimes I simply may not be in the mood for that genre.
Ithiri Neram had been sitting in my watchlist for quite some time. After my North East trip, I suddenly felt like watching something slow-paced and centered on human interactions. I wanted a quiet Malayalam film that focuses more on emotions than plot twists. Ithiri Neram seemed perfect for that kind of weekend watch.
The story deals with a slightly controversial theme. It follows a married man who reconnects with his college flame. In a way, it reminded me of the Tamil movie 96, but almost in reverse.
Because the story revolves around a married man who still carries unresolved feelings for his ex, the film creates an unusual emotional conflict for the viewer. You enjoy the crackling chemistry (a type of chemistry that conveys a lot through eye contact) between the lead pair, yet at the same time you feel a sense of guilt. You cannot help but think about the wife, who has no idea what her husband really feels about their marriage. According to him, that “special feeling” is missing in the marriage. This aspect of the story also became a point of debate among viewers. Some felt that the movie glorified an extramarital emotional connection. But I don’t think movies always need to function as a vehicle for social messaging. Cinema is also a space to tell stories about human emotions, even the uncomfortable ones.
And the truth is, the idea that someone may still carry feelings for an old love is not unrealistic. It may not be something people openly admit, especially after marriage. But it is a very human experience that exists quietly in many lives.
The chemistry between the two leads is undeniable. Their conversations and silences pull you in emotionally. At times it feels like the film quietly pushes the audience into rooting for something that is not right.
Once you reach your 40s, you also start realizing something uncomfortable. Chemistry is rare. You may settle down with someone you deeply respect and care for. The relationship can be stable and supportive. Yet, like Anish in the film, you might sometimes feel that something extra is missing. That “extra” could be a kind of chemistry you once experienced in the past and have been searching for ever since.
Over time, many people choose stability over chemistry. And in many ways, that decision makes sense. Life cannot run on chemistry alone. Intense chemistry can also bring strong emotions that are hard to manage, and that intensity can sometimes destabilize relationships.
Roshan Mathew and Zarin Shihab deliver beautiful and natural performances. Their screen presence carries the emotional weight of the story very well. The comedy relief also works nicely and matches my kind of humor. I genuinely enjoyed those lighter moments.
The supporting cast adds good balance to the film. Performances by Nandu and Anand Manmadhan help keep the story light so that the emotional tension never becomes overwhelming.
If you enjoy slow movies that focus on relationships, nostalgia, and complicated emotions, Ithiri Neram might be worth adding to your watchlist.
Ithiri Neram is currently streaming on Prime Video.
So I’m thinking of making this a regular feature on the blog. I usually have slightly contrarian takes on most news stories anyway, so putting them together in a quick post feels like a good idea. Think of this as a simple roundup where I share my thoughts on a few current issues making headlines.
Here’s today’s quick take.
Iran–US/Israel War
The ongoing Iran–US–Israel conflict is dominating global news. From what I am seeing online, most Muslims and leftists appear to be supporting Iran in this war. The primary reason is Iran’s long-standing pro-Palestine position and its support for Palestinian causes and groups.
However, in my opinion, Iran is equally in the wrong for dragging Gulf countries into this conflict.
Iranian officials have said they are only targeting US bases in the region. But the reality seems very different. Civilian infrastructure is being hit, and innocent people have lost their lives. That cannot be justified.
At this point, it is important to acknowledge responsibility on both sides. The US and Israel are certainly to blame for starting the conflict, hitting a girl’s school, and causing massive damage and loss of civilian lives. At the same time, Iran also bears responsibility for expanding the war into countries in the GCC.
Several Gulf countries had already assured Iran that their land would not be used to attack Iran. Yet they are now facing retaliation simply because US bases exist on their soil.
Personally, this issue also feels close to home because I have relatives living in the GCC. It is extremely unsettling to see those countries becoming targets when they are not directly part of the conflict.
At the same time, expecting these countries to suddenly remove US military bases is not practical. Those bases exist largely as a security arrangement, especially considering long-standing tensions with Iran.
Instead of taking sides in this Iran–Israel–US conflict, the best outcome would simply be for all parties involved to step back and find a way to de-escalate the situation before it gets worse.
Monalisa’s Interfaith Marriage in Kerala
Another story that caught attention recently is the marriage of Monalisa Bhosle, the viral Kumbh Mela girl, who married her Muslim partner in Kerala.
On the surface, this is good news. Two people who liked each other decided to get married. Interfaith marriages should not automatically be seen negatively.
At the same time, it is natural to feel a little concerned about the girl’s situation. From what we know publicly, she did not receive much formal education and appears quite naive. The relationship reportedly developed online, and the couple had known each other for only around six months, when the girl was still a minor, before deciding to get married. The guy, as per reports, is 7-8 years older than her. That combination can make anyone a bit worried, regardless of religion.
Kerala already has a controversial reputation in some circles. Because of that, it felt unnecessary for state government officials to publicly participate in what was essentially a private wedding ceremony.
If, unfortunately, the marriage faces problems in the future (I hope not), the same incident could easily be used to criticize Kerala again.
A more mature approach by Kerala’s state government would have been to stay away from the public spotlight while offering quiet support if needed. Not every personal decision needs to be turned into a political or symbolic event.
Kavya Maran and Abrar Ahmed
The next topic is from the cricket world.
Kavya Maran’s decision to include Pakistani cricketer Abrar Ahmed in her Hundred League team, Sunrisers Leeds, has sparked debate among fans. Given the current political climate between India and Pakistan, reactions were bound to be strong.
But there is another angle to this story that people are not discussing enough.
In February 2026, reports suggested that league members were warned of strict action if there was any discrimination against Pakistani players.
So one possible explanation is that Kavya Maran was simply trying to follow league rules.
Other team owners may have quietly avoided selecting Pakistani players, but technically that could still be seen as discrimination if the league had issued such warnings.
I can somewhat relate to this situation on a psychological level. Many of us have experienced moments where we strictly follow rules, while others casually ignore them and face no consequences.
To be clear, this is not meant as a justification for selecting a Pakistani player. As an Indian, I stand with my country. But it may explain the thinking behind the decision.
Sometimes people are simply trying to stay within the rules, even when others around them are not.
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