Warning: this articles contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of Love is Blind.
Love Is Blind may be a social experiment created to entertain the masses, but there are some undeniable lessons on love we can all take away from the show.
Couples are expected to fall in love “sight unseen”, as the show endlessly reminds us. And for some, that is ostensibly true. But for others, heartbreak lies at the alter as the person they’ve been shacked up with for six weeks decides if they actually want to marry them.
When it came to the wedding of Abhishek “Shake” Chatterjee and Deepti Vempati, the bride had an epiphany we’re all glad for.
The unsure groom, Shake, had shrouded their entire relationship with doubts over his physical connection to Deepti, lamenting that he didn’t find her as attractive as his past encounters. He even told another contestant that Deepti reminded him of his aunt.
Deepti, who for the most part seemed willing to start a life with her fiancé, delivered a zinger on the big day, after Shake made no efforts to make her feel wanted.
Asked if she would take Shake in holy matrimony, she objected. In front of their family and friends, she told Shake: “I deserve somebody who knows for sure. So, I’m choosing myself and I’m going to say ‘no.’”
Instead of comforting or even questioning his now former fiancée, a seemingly unfazed Shake set about “celebrating” with his loved ones, bragging about his plans to get fitter and dine at Nobu.
Of course, Deepti’s response to Shake’s lukewarm advances won heaps of praise on social media.
She’s reminded us of the power of self-worth, and how that worth should never be tied to another person.
Since the show aired, the former couple have unfollowed each other on Instagram, and Deepti has now seen the hurtful comments Shake made about her appearance.
In an interview with Buzzfeed, she said: “I had the epiphany that like, ’Why am I trying to prove to this person to see me? I’m done trying, I’m over this. I just need to move forward and figure out what I want — instead of trying to figure out why he doesn’t want me, do I even want him?”
In choosing herself, Deepti has certainly established that she’s not settling for less.
And neither are we.