Love is the universal emotion that binds us all. It is the reason why the world feels like a better place. Celebrating the day of love is therefore special. With Valentine’s Day being today, everyone is looking forward to spending the day with their near and dear ones and that special someone. ‘Aashiqui’ actress Anu Aggarwal, who is successfully running Anu Aggarwal Foundation and Anu Fun Yoga, shares about the significance of the day and more.

“I consider not only each day, but each minute, each second a love?moment. Hence, Valentine’s Day for me has no special significance apart from the fact that it is a reminder to a lot of people of love, being a love day,” she continues, “Love to me is not just a four letter word rather I see love as the essence of our being, one of our deepest feelings that we are made of.”

Everyone has a very different way of dealing with love and relationships. “Being expressive of love I feel is in the acts you perform, what you do to support and stand by the side of the lovers. Since for me, love is love for the community, as our connection is really with all, I express it through my foundation,” she says.

Love is the essence of our existence. “A child would be lost without a mother's love so we do essentially need love from the very start. As you grow up, you have to feel love, offer it to others to feel love, as eventually the lack of it is also our own feeling, which each one of us is responsible for,” she adds.

In the entertainment industry, there’s much pressure, and competition and one also face unsolicited judgements. People don't get an outlet for their emotions in spite of being in the business of emotions.

“Emotional well-being is most important. We need to give more importance to emotions, and feelings. Well, as an actor I can tell you that if you are true to your art, then acting is in itself an outlet for all your emotions of love, hatred, etc. But, on a personal level, it is more difficult for the artist to cope with a normal thinking person’s interpretation of emotions,” she says.

The meaning of love has changed over the years. This generation is far more practical even about love and is said to be less emotional. Reacting to it, Anu adds, “I keep emphasising the need for self-love. If you see my social media like Instagram is full of me encouraging self-love, self-care and to know thyself. The idea being when they love themselves, it opens doors for them to love others.”