Remember Nisha from Dil Toh Pagal Hai? Rahul’s best friend? Maya’s frenemy? The cute bubbly girl who you thought was the main character but then she got demoted to the side-kick in her own life? I fell in love with her at the impressionable and innocent age of 6 – back when I didn’t even know what the term ‘side-chick’ meant – and now, as a 22-year-old, who is constantly on the verge of an existential crisis and is slowly becoming best friends with her anxiety, I relate to her more than ever.
Why?
1. Third Wheeling For Life
She hangs out with couples, goes to Valentine’s Day parties, dances in the rain – all the while, being single AF! She has aced the art of third wheeling, despite having the heart of a hard core romantic. She believes in fairy tales; but, is too scared to make her own come true.
2. Way Too Chill
Her guy friends think she’s one of the ‘bros’ and it usually works in her favour. Until she falls in love with one of them! But she has a character to play, she’s the chill girl – no-nonsense, fun, party chick – always ready to have a good time! Nisha, you taught me how to bottle up my feelings, thanks!
3. Also Brimming With Emotions
No matter how cool she pretends to be, her crippling emotions get the better of her! Be it anger, tears or matters of the heart, Nisha can’t always keep calm and that’s what makes her relatable.
4. Always The Best Friend, Never The Girlfriend!
Nisha takes Rahul shopping, helps him pick out clothes, dances to bollywood music with him (around the tree), organizes picnics (brings him food!), sneaks out of the hospital to dance in the rain with him. But, when it comes to finding love, he decides to chase a girl he’s only ever hallucinated about. Sounds familiar?
5. Insanely Attracted To Fuckboys
Ummmm, guilty as charged! There is something so tempting about a boy who treats you like trash. Who says stuff like ‘ladkiyaan sharaab nahin peeti,’ cause you don’t fit into his 1950’s female stereotype. You go, Rahul! Maybe next time I’ll drink your blood, instead.
6. Not A Great Drunk
How many of us text ex-boyfriends when we’re drunk? Basically, Nisha did just that; but, in person. Her drunk confession followed by a quick trip home to London (yup, I wish I could do that in the spur of the moment) is how we should all deal with drunken mistakes.
7. Ego, Ego, Ego
Remember the impromptu dance-off? Damn, that was an ego clash that felt oh-so satisfying. Maya looked so confused and helpless, it fueled my inner Nisha. And that’s exactly my point, her ego matched mine perfectly.
8. Sour Loser
She hated being replaced, couldn’t handle losing her man and threw a fit when she didn’t get what she deserved. But that’s what made her human, just a regular girl who couldn’t handle her emotions and did things at her own pace, in her own way.
9. Doesn’t Need Validation
Her selfishness is commendable, after giving her all to Rahul, she fixes her own heart like a grown-ass woman and I love it! Also, she gets shit-face drunk when he ‘orders’ her not to and that’s my favourite scene.
10. Basically Badass
At the end of the movie, she totally won, holding her head up high and throwing the bitterness out of the window! Also, she danced like a rockstar.
More power to you, Nisha!
Her outfits were always on point, shop her look: Women’s Reebok Essentials Workout Bra (Rs 1,249), Reebok Running Woven Shorts (Rs 1,000), Bedazzled Longline Kimono (Rs 1,499), Crushed Velvet Cross Back Bodysuit (Rs 999) and Velvet Square Toe Block Heel Boots (Rs 1,999).
GIFs: Giphy
