“MY IDEA OF LOVE DEVELOPED WHEN I WAS IN CLASS 5”

ONE OF KANNADA FILM INDUSTRY’S YOUNGEST ACTORS SAMYUKTHA HEGDE SHARES HER THOUGHTS ON RELATIONSHIPS AND THE IDEAL MAN. THE 23-YEAR-OLD IS ALSO A POPULAR FACE IN TAMIL CINEMA

- MADHU DAITHOTA

The idea of love first developed when I was in class 5 and it was for a boy who broke my pencil box: “My parents had a love marriage — my mum is a Christian and dad is a Hindu; but for me, the initial thoughts of love were sown in school. I was in class 5 and I remember a classmate (a boy) breaking my pencil box by mistake. It was an expensive one for those days and dad had paid 120 bucks for it which was a big deal. I was so upset that I told him he had to either buy the same one for me or repay that amount. He would forego his lunch and give me 10 bucks every day. Finally he paid it off and during the interim; we began speaking on a regular basis. He would even walk me home even thought it was quite a distance from school. His home was at the other end. We would holdhands and merrily chatter all the way till my gate. It was just two innocent kids who were great friends and had a lot of fondness for each other. But yes, for me it felt a lot like love. That boy was so nice to me and our relationship set the tone of my initial thoughts on love: it meant protection and companionship and of course a wonderful friendship. It was sweet, gentle and brimming with innocence.