Recently, on a podcast, Imtiaz Ali spoke about his 2007 masterpiece Jab We Metsaying how he always wanted Kareena Kapoor for Geet, the fiery and endearing character that became a mass favourite role. When Ali approached Kapoor with the story, she wasn’t interested at first, he said. Well, thank God, she finally said yes and immortalised Geet!

The film and its leading female protagonist Geet, whose charming presence and zest for life, made so many of us want to emulate her. Being a millennial and having fallen in love with both, I was taken back in time down the lane of nostalgia.

Talking about developing the character arc for Geet at the scripting stage, the ace director who’s got films such as Love Aaj Kal, Highway and Chamkilaup his sleeve, said how when he’s writing, he’d got a picture of this girl’s body language, style, vibe, in his head.

“Just her face was a little blurry”. “Sometimes, I’d even clearly see her wearing yellow and sitting somewhere, saying, ‘I’m running away’,” he said while speaking on the podcast.

I list down five reasons why I adored Kapoor as Geet in Jab We Met and what I’ve learnt from a vibrant and free-spirited Geet after having watched her multiple times:

1. Embrace the moment: This is one of the most profound takeaways from the film. Geet, a pack of instant sunshine, lives in the moment, cherishes it wholeheartedly and journals it in the sands of time.

2. Soak in, new experiences: Geet’s adventurous nature and willingness to take risks inspires me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, live many lives so that I’m able to tick as much off my bucket list as possible

3. Love with all your heart: To love, is to love the way Geet loves Aditya, (Shahid Kapoor) a brooding and forlorn millionaire whom she meets inside the train, and at first, puts him off with her incessant chatter. To see the two bond over their respective exes in a sleazoid hotel in Ratlam to chilling in Manali and eventually the kiss of love at her Bhatinda Bangla, Geet taught me to be instinctive in love and listen to the heart sing. Embrace the beauty of unexpected friendships, just as in Geet and Aditya’s chance encounter which reminds us that some of the most profound connections can arise from unexpected circumstances.

4 Break free from the burden of expectations: Listen to your inner voice. Geet ran away from home to chase love, walked out of a toxic relationship, trusted a stranger with her heart and mind, and kissed the man she chose for herself. Geet’s journey is a testament to the importance of listening to your intuition and following your heart. Geet’s character encourages us to challenge conventional norms and forge our own paths.

5. Live, love, laugh, pray: Geet serves as a reminder to live life with passion, purpose, and a sense of adventure. Her journey teaches us valuable lessons about self-discovery, relationships, and resilience that can be applied to our own lives.