An ode to love

Mona

Irresistible Scarlett, proud Mr Darcy, prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet, star-crossed Jenny and Ollie, wilful Catherine Earnshaw to tragic Tess… are not just characters from books, but real people for a whole lot of readers. As one gears up for Valentine’s Day, authors talk about their favourite love stories.

Right click

A writer of love stories, Sudeep Nagarkar puts Cecelia Ahern’s PS I Love You as his favourite story of all times. The reason is pretty obvious, he claims, “I read it in college, and, like it or not, I too wanted to have someone to love me that intensely,” he smiles. “While any love story could only have the lovers get together or break up or one of them dies — it’s the moments of connection that make a story click or not,” he vouches.

Another love story that Nagarkar cherishes is All Rights Reserved For You – his eighth novel, which he penned for his long-time, long-distance girlfriend Jasmine Sethi, as a wedding gift!

Truly remarkable

Author Bhaavna Arora names George Wing’s 50 First Dates as her favourite love story of all times. “We truly lack relationships in today’s world but it is worth to make the effort,” says the author of three bestsellers. It is the story of girl with memory loss, where the lover woos her every single day. “The intense effort that he puts into making his woman fall in love with him again is just beautiful.” Being independent and self sufficient has made love difficult, believes Bhaavna, “Earlier, men and women had different skill sets that made them interdependent. Not anymore; now women earn, men can cook, so it’s all the more important than before to ensure that you stay relevant while adding a newness to each day, which is why 50 First Dates is my favourite love story till now.”

Classical route

Kota Neelima, known for her work on rural distress, which also focuses on women farmers, has loved the strong women characters in the stories of Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy. Much like English classics, Indian classics are rich in love stories too; she picks up Draupadi and Arjuna’s story as her favourite. “It was love amongst two equals. Arjuna won her hand, but she got married to five brothers out of her love for Arjuna. Respecting the circumstances, she made her choice and Arjuna supported her.”

Note worthy

Ravinder Singh’s all-time favourite love story is Nicholas Sparks’s The Notebook. It is one story where characters grow and live their old age. “You know it usually happens that a great book seldom makes for a fine movie, but The Notebook is an exception.” The whole premise of an old man reading out loud a love story at a care home is what Ravinder finds nice. “When the woman realises that she’s the Allie in the story and the old man Noah, briefly recalling their young summer romance, is what fills one with awe.”

Deep emotion

Sumrit Shahi considers a rather young love story John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars as his favourite. “Any great love begins when one starts to love self,” shares the young writer. “What I really love about The Fault… is that it is a young story with depth. They two literally mock death and celebrate life as much as they have.” The book made him cry; as much for Augustus and Hazel as much for himself! “It made me feel that I haven’t loved that deeply still. I have been wondering if something’s wrong with me,” he laughs.

If only life was stuff such tales are made of!

mona@tribunemail.com