Thursday, September 8, 2011

'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' has useful lessons for financial planning

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Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara has been enthralling audiences with its intriguing story, along with some good performances by the lead actors.

But, for me, the aspect that stands out the most is the core message of the movie - live for the moment and enjoy life because you only live once! And I could not stop drawing the obvious comparisons between the theme of the movie and the purpose of financial planning.

Like the movie, the aim of financial planning is also to enable each one of us to enjoy the things we have and want from our lives. The three protagonists of the movie, besides fighting their internal demons, also depict classical traits that I have found in several individuals, especially those who have not started with their financial plan.

Let us look at the three lead characters of the movie and see what we can learn from them.

Should i keep my life on hold?:

Hrithik Roshan's character, Arjun, is a financial trader working in London who wants to make enough money and retire at the age of 40.

He believes that since he faced hardship all through his childhood, he should have money when he retires. He believes future financial security is important and is willing to give up on his present to get there.

This may be a movie, but I have come across several people who believe that letting go of your desires of the present for attaining something in future is acceptable. While aiming to retire by 40 is good, one should not forget that life is made up of small and big pleasures, which cumulatively add to the quality of life.

The most optimum way is to create a financial plan that will help one balance both the current and future aspirations.

Learn to live with your fears:

The second protagonist of the movie, Imran, played by Farhan Akhtar, is a drifter by choice and a closet poet. His problem is not confronting his fears - he keeps putting off meeting his biological father.


For many of us, our relationship with money is similar. We are scared to accept reality. Fear associated with money may be based on not wanting to face hardships, but what one tends to forget is that the hardship is already present; it's only our acceptance which we can control.

Accepting your fears related to money is the first step to liberate you and start you on the path of financial freedom.

Ready for surprises, any time:

Kabir, the character essayed by Abhay Deol, has an unusual predicament. Everyone around him, including his fiance, thinks he wants to get married to her when in reality he is just not ready for marriage.

While Kabir does manage to find his way out towards the end of the movie, his role highlights the fact that one can never predict the kind of surprises life can throw up at any point of time, and some of these surprises may not be pleasant.

There is no way to stop such unforeseen events from happening, but what we can do is be prepared financially to handle such events in life. Investing in a financial plan can help you not only deal with unexpected events, but also make you financially strong, so that when the time arrives, you are not left counting your chickens.

A certified financial planner can not only advice you as to how you should go about this process, but also tell you how much you should invest to get to your goal. It is said that life inspires movies, and sometimes movies inspire life.

And when it comes to the inspiration quotient, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ranks high. The message is loud and clear - live for the moment and seize life. And make sure you do everything you need to do along the way to make yourself capable both mentally and financially.

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