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Bollywood makes me smile amid the Lebanese crisis

After the Beirut blast on August 4, caused by an explosion of a large stockpile of 2,750 metric tonnes of ammonium nitrate that was stocked for six years in a warehouse at the port leaving 300,000 homeless, injuring around 6,000 and killing 190 people, the Lebanese feel more depressed.
The country was already sinking with high level of debt and hyperinflation reaching 629 per cent (80 per cent of the country's food is imported). The NGO, Save the Children, has found that over half a million Lebanese children are going hungry in Beirut. Long and frequent power cuts have become common, people are rummaging through garbage for food, and some are driven to even commit suicides. Living in such an environment amid an economic crisis and constant toxic political scenario, mental breakdown and severe depression are common among people.
Fear alone is enough to drive anyone crazy and how can you not live in fear in a country like Lebanon where everyday has become a challenge to survive not only from Covid-19 but also from hunger, piled up bills, a potential civil war, etc.
One day, I felt like I was hitting rock bottom. I had a severe panic attack and felt like I couldn't breath anymore, my heart was beating so fast, my hands felt numbed, and I thought to myself if I don't do anything to save myself from this situation, I will become crazy.
I started to work on my breathing techniques and after managing to calm myself down, I took the advice of a dear friend who nagged me to watch Bollywood movies even if I am not in a good mood. He actually emphasised that because my mood is so low and bad, I need to watch Indian movies. He 'guaranteed' that something will change in me. So that day, when luckily there was electricity, I put the fan on and started to watch the movies sent by my friend and I was instantly hooked.
There is something about Indian movies that make you fly away from your problems - the catchy music, the choreography that makes you want to jump from your seat and start to dance, the feast of colours, the flamboyant scenery, the charming actors, the sweetness of the scenario, and most importantly, India the country itself.
Watching these movies was such an immersive experience that I momentarily  forgot that I was in Lebanon, surrounded by endless problems, corrupted politicians, desperate people. Bollywood helped me escape for a couple of hours the roughness of my life and travel in my imagination to India.
I started to imagine myself wearing a traditional sari, walking in New Delhi, eating delicious street food, smelling the various spices, and enjoying kids laughing.
During the movie, I started to think why can't everything be like a musical Bollywood movie, easy, light, colourful, and fun? Why life imposes upon us such heaviness?
I advise all my friends who are going through rough moments to put their worries aside and  watch Indian movies.
I am sure people in India also have their fair share of problems and struggles and their life is not a Bollywood movie but all the Indians I have met in my life especially when I used to live in the UAE carried joy and positivity in their hearts, and it was contagious.
It is okay to cheat on life and find moments to escape the misery through different means, Bollywood being one of them.
Christiane Waked is a political analyst based in Beirut