Hello Zindagi

• 2010

She (Mrunmayee Lagoo) has posters of Jim Morrison and Bob Marley on her walls: rather belated icons for someone her age. She stuffs her drawer with Kama Sutra condoms, and keeps her room locked from parents. During the day, she goes out shoplifting, when not discussing men. The fakeness of cool fries your brains up. On a random night-out — “Can we go to the disc tonight?” — a stranger offers her a drink. She gulps it down. On another night at a club, upset with her friends, she meets the same fellow again — “Come on, we shall have a nice drink! Let’s dance… Just relax. Just take a chill pill.” She snorts coke, gets hammered; few days later, even moves out of her parents’.