Shahana Goswami: Cultivate space in relationships, like you cultivate togetherness when there is distance
emotional connection
. According to actress
Shahana Goswami
, distance helps a person develop a sense of independence, which is every important for any cohabitation relationship.
While speaking to us exclusively, the '
Four Years Later
' actress expressed, 'If you're living apart, you end up forcefully being able to have your independence, situationally and circumstantially. You are forced to also find your way without your partner physically being there. So in that sense, there's a kind of silver lining to it because most people who are together love each other after all, and that's part of any cohabitation.'
Shahana, whose latest series follows the story of a couple who had to part ways right after their marriage, owing to professional commitments, further explained that this skill of independence needs to be present not just in a love relationship but in every connection. 'If you live with your parents, you feel the same way; if you share a house with your siblings, you feel the same way with your friends,' she said.
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Doing everything together is not love - finding balance is
'Eventually, there is a bit of that familiarity that breeds contempt, only because what happens is that there are constructs around having to do everything together. You're a unit, and you're inseparable. But if you can find that balance, it applies to both
long-distance relationships
and those where you live together,' she added.
Weighing in further on the phenomenon of long-distance relationships, Shahana mentioned, 'In a long-distance relationship, you have to find that balance of creating time and space for togetherness, both in terms of finding quality time together and staying connected.'
However, the actress said the 'opposite applies as well when you're living with a partner—learning how to give each other a little more space and how to take space.'
'Sometimes you might feel the urge to be deeply involved with each other, but I think it's important to cultivate space in relationships, the same way that you cultivate togetherness when there is distance,' she concluded.
The actress's insightful view on the subject not only highlights her personal opinion but also the intricate subject that her latest work, 'Four Years Later', focuses on. The series is now available for streaming on
Lionsgate Play
.
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Four Years Later review Cast: Shahana Goswami, Akshay Ajit Singh, Kate Box, Roy Joseph Creator: Mithila Gupta Star rating: ★★★.5 Mainstream movies and shows are so obsessed with the cutesy idea of first romance and love at first sight that rarely do we get a look at what happens after two people decide to spend their lives together. In the Indian set-up, the chaos is infinite and inexcusable. Four Years Later, the new Indo-Australian show streaming on Lionsgate Play, takes a mature and patient look at this very idea- where two people give their love a chance, and try to make their marriage work. Spread over eight episodes, Four Years Later is beautiful, resonant and occasionally exhausting- but that's exactly the point. The premise {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} It starts off wonderfully. In Jaipur, Sridevi (Shahana Goswami) has given in to her mother's pestering for marriage for once, and meets Yash Agarwal (Akshay Ajit Singh) with both families in one room. After an awkward introduction, the two of them realize they are completely opposite from each other. She is free-spirited; he is more shy and reserved. But there is an undeniable mutual attraction, and the two get married in a few months. But as Indian families go, it is never just about two people. There are family expectations, an overload of patriarchal standards seeping into trivial matters and on top of that, Yash gets the opportunity to move to Australia for his medical traineeship. He leaves Sridevi at home, who now has to deal with the achingly real-life problems of living with a conservative family. Four Years Later takes another narrative leap forward, as we see Sridevi taking matters into her own hand and heading to Australia on her own. Why did she do so, and how will that affect their relationship? What begins as a relationship drama then soaks in themes of migrant experience, cultural alienation. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Read More {{^usCountry}} Mithila Gupta and Shakthidharan co-wrote Four Years Later, which is nuanced and patient with these two deeply flawed individuals. Sridevi can be volatile, impulsive, and angry, and her grief pours over in the microaggressions. Choices are that Yash will never know these emotions, because he is so far away. But he is also hurting in ways he cannot express. These adults make mistakes, and thank god there's no moral compass etched in the writing that punishes these characters too much. One particular scene involving a confrontation where Sridevi finds out that Yash might have lied a little too far for them to stay together is excellently staged and shot. Special mention to the beautifully shot intimate scenes by cinematographer Emma Paine, which leave two adults sharing a level of physical proximity as it is: there is no voyeurism here. What works {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} Mithila Gupta and Shakthidharan co-wrote Four Years Later, which is nuanced and patient with these two deeply flawed individuals. Sridevi can be volatile, impulsive, and angry, and her grief pours over in the microaggressions. Choices are that Yash will never know these emotions, because he is so far away. But he is also hurting in ways he cannot express. These adults make mistakes, and thank god there's no moral compass etched in the writing that punishes these characters too much. One particular scene involving a confrontation where Sridevi finds out that Yash might have lied a little too far for them to stay together is excellently staged and shot. Special mention to the beautifully shot intimate scenes by cinematographer Emma Paine, which leave two adults sharing a level of physical proximity as it is: there is no voyeurism here. What works {{/usCountry}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} The show expands when Shahana Goswami occupies the frame. The actor gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as a woman trying to make sense of her life and circumstances, navigating the emotional shifts with striking depth. She shares terrific chemistry with Akshay Ajit Singh; an actor whose presence grows as the show moves ahead. The fragility he imbues into this shy and resolute man, going through a turbulent time in his career and personal life, makes the character all the more memorable. As mature and sensitive as this relationship drama is, my only gripe is that it moves ahead a little too hastily for its own good. The actors bring a lot of emotional depth to the scenes that feel rushed towards a certain resolution, but do all adult relationships wind up in the next chapter so quickly? The flashes of casual racism that come with the immigrant experience are somehow conveniently avoided, almost sidelined. These are but minor inconveniences that pile up in an otherwise heartfelt and quietly powerful drama that ultimately demands your attention. At the end of the day, you trust Sridevi and Yash to take care, of each other as well as themselves, a little more fiercely. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}}
