The multi-hyphenate Priya Malik is an actor, and poet, and is all set to make a debut as an author soon. Priya, who rose to fame with the popular web series, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, recently received backlash on social media when a clip of her poetry went viral.
Opening up about the controversy, the actor shares, “It’s a clear example of what happens on the internet when people don’t have full information and get angry over what they see on a little clip. It’s almost a three-minute poem and their reaction is on a 30-second clip that doesn't encapsulate the entire notion of the poem. But this is what got circulated and faced the heat. Selective information is a dangerous thing.”
About the viral poem, ‘I Am Not a Cool Girlfriend’, which she recited at a slam poetry session, Priya shares, “The poem is pro-women and talks about how women are quickly labelled as clingy or possessive or ‘psycho’. This happens because women come across as caring and need their basic requirements met and are a little too forthright in a relationship.”
At the same time, her straightforwardness and honesty received ample amounts of appreciation as well. Adding further she says, “I Am Not A Cool Girlfriend talks about how two people can love each other differently. In fact, in one of the main lines of this poem - ‘I will love you as I love you, but I will always be open to receiving your way of affection’ - the girl is telling her beau that she will be unapologetic about the way she is and the way she loves, yet she is open with the way he loves her.”
Explaining her non-toxic views she quips, “This has been my philosophy throughout and that is the most non-toxic view that I have towards any relationship. The poem is written from that lens. But obviously, the internet is known for not knowing the entire truth and making judgments and passing comments. All my poems are an extension of me and my thoughts. I’m a feminist and in a happy relationship and would never promote anything toxic. There are plenty of examples of my poems on YouTube, one can easily understand my approach and thought process via them,” she adds.
Priya encourages everyone to watch the entire poem, not just 30 seconds of it. After all, poetry is never literal.
Priya’s most famous poem, ‘Main 2019 mein 1999 dhoondh rahi hoon’. In the poem, she talks about being open and forthright in loving the way we used to be back in the day. “Modern-day and technology have scared us to say the words ‘I love you’ because we think it is too soon or it's too much. But, I believe that love and relationships should be simple, the way they used to be. When did caring and giving undivided attention to your lover become uncool? I am unapologetically myself in all my relationships. I would not apologise for loving someone too much, because that's the way I love. At the same time, however, endeavour to understand and appreciate the difference in the way they express themselves,” she signs off.
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