Love has many forms of representation, and chocolates is one of them. On Chocolate Day today, actor Radhikka Madan insists how the indulgent sweet has been a constant in her life. “Chocolates have always been the meetha before any shubh kaam in my life. I remember my mother used to feed me a piece of chocolate before every test in school and it has always held that sweet place,” she says.
It’s not just nostalgia but also the expression of love that make chocolates special for the actor. “I think when words fall short, that’s where chocolate comes into play. I remember in school whenever somebody used to like someone, they would give them a chocolate. Whenever you’re scared, anxious, don’t know what to say, or when you tell somebody that you love them, chocolate is a beautiful way to express that feeling,” she asserts. Revealing her chocolate choices, Radhikka Madan shares, “My favourite chocolate has evolved from earlier being fruit and nut, to now being 70% or 85% dark chocolate.”
Her most cherished memories of chocolate, however, are associated with her friends rather than partners. “I have two best friends, Aditi and Manvi, who’ve been my girls since seventh grade. We were not dating anybody in school and only had each other. So we used to take each other out to a nice cafe or a restaurant, and we used to bring each other gifts like roses or chocolates, just to make each other feel that we are each other’s Valentine,” she gushes.
As Valentine’s Day is around the corner, Radhikka shares that the meaning of love has evolved over time for her. “Earlier, it used to be butterflies in the stomach, but now it’s the feeling of peace with that special person and them doing actions for you rather than saying stuff,” she says, quipping, “The perfect Valentine’s Day gift for me would be a handwritten letter along with a plate of golgappas and papdi chaat.”
Radhikka will soon be seen in the anthology Lust Stories 3. With this being the month of love, ask her how love and lust connect for her and she says, “For me, lust has always stemmed out of love. Though theoretically I can definitely say they both are different emotions, but in my life, maybe because I’m pretty old school, lust has always followed after love and always was an extension to that.”