We would agree that there’s no glory in settling. Not in life, not in love, and certainly not when it comes to the person you’re planning forever with. And if there’s one woman who taught an entire generation how to own their power with lip gloss, a hair flip, and a don’t mess with me attitude, it’s Pooja Sharma from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
Poo wasn’t just a character. She was a phenomenon. Long before we had #MainCharacterEnergy or conversations about emotional standards and relationship red flags, Poo was walking into rooms with her chin high, standards higher, and absolutely no time for less than exceptional romantic attention. She didn’t just raise the bar, she was the bar. In an era where most women in Bollywood were teaching us the virtues of quiet pining, poetic sacrifice, and settling for the bare minimum cloaked in a hero’s swagger, Poo was having none of it. She wanted more. She demanded more. She expected more. And most importantly, she knew she deserved it.
This piece, then, is part homage, part reminder. It’s for every woman who’s ever questioned whether her standards are too high, whether she’s asking for too much, whether love is meant to be a compromise instead of a celebration. She wanted it all: chemistry, charm, chivalry, and the kind of connection that didn’t ask her to shrink. So she waited for the man who could meet her where she was. The one who saw her fire and didn’t flinch. It’s a love letter to the version of yourself that refuses to accept crumbs, because darling, Poo from K3G would never.
Know your worth (and then add tax)
Let’s talk about that legendary scene. Poo, resplendent in her fitted dress and straightened hair, does a full head-to-toe scan of Robbie. She eyes his shoes, cringes at his shirt. And in four iconic words, she decimates all illusions of politeness: “Tell me how it was.” Did she have to be that savage? No. But was she wrong? Also no.
She reminds us that attraction isn’t shallow; it’s instinctual. It’s about effort. Intention. Alignment. When you show up as your full self, the least you deserve is someone who meets you with matching energy. In love, how they make you feel in a crowded room or an empty one matters. Poo never looked for perfection, but she always looked for presence. Because romance, at its best, is rooted in attention. And the one who sees you clearly? They never come carelessly.
Settling is not romantic
If Poo had a dating manifesto, it would be this: Know what you want, ask for it out loud, and don’t apologise for the silence that follows. The truth is, she didn’t come with an endless list of must-haves, she just knew her non-negotiables. Kindness. Confidence. Compatibility.
In relationships, clarity is often mistaken for arrogance. But what if clarity is just care, care for your time, your growth, your joy? Knowing what you will and won’t accept is the most loving thing you can do for yourself and your future partner. But Poo didn’t fall for good-on-paper. You deserve someone who sees your fire and doesn’t ask you to dim it. Someone who meets your standards not with resentment but with reverence. Because settling isn’t romantic, it’s a slow erosion of self-worth masquerading as pragmatism. And that’s never the plotline Poo would endorse.
Love isn’t the goal, it’s the bonus
For most of us, weddings are framed as the finish line. The final scene in the rom-com. But Poo? She never lived for a climax. She was the plot twist. And she never saw love as the thing that would complete her, because she already came whole. Her confidence wasn’t built on someone else’s validation. It was built on knowing her worth. Loving herself in bright lights and backstage. Laughing too loudly, dressing too boldly, existing too much, and never letting that be a reason to settle for less.
And that’s the kind of energy real love deserves to walk into. Not the desperate kind. Not the dutiful kind. But the kind that says, “I know who I am. I love who I am. And I’d love to do this life thing with you, but not at the cost of myself.”
Choose someone who chooses you, loudly
Poo didn’t say yes to Rohan because he won her over with grand gestures. She said yes because he saw her, all of her. The drama, the sparkle, the steel beneath the gloss. And he didn’t just tolerate her fire, he matched it. In the real world, this isn’t about finding someone who lets you be dramatic for fun. It’s about choosing someone who understands your layers, who respects your rhythm, and who shows up again and again, on your best days, your hard days, and every boring Tuesday in between.
It’s easy to get distracted by what looks good on paper. But Poo reminds us that the right relationship should feel good. Deep in your gut, like certainty, like softness without sacrifice, like finally breathing out.
Self-love: The most important romance
Poo didn’t just teach us about romantic standards. She taught us about self-love; flamboyant, fabulous, unapologetic self-love. She didn’t shrink herself for approval, she demanded it. She knew who she was and made sure the world did too. And that, perhaps, is the most important lesson of all. Before you can ask for love that feels like magic, you must become it. Before you can ask for someone to see you fully, you have to see yourself clearly. Poo’s love story wasn’t just about Rohan, it was about how she never once abandoned herself for love. So here’s a reminder from her to you: You are not hard to love. You are not asking for too much. You are asking the wrong person if they think that.
Weddings are beautiful. The outfits, the rituals, the joy. But amidst all that glitter, it’s easy to forget: the most important vow isn’t the one you make to another. It’s the one you make to yourself. To honour your own voice. To remember who you were before the lehenga and the hashtags. To never, ever dull your light just to make someone else comfortable.
So whether you’re the bride, the best friend, or the guest caught in another round of “so when’s your turn?”, take a moment. Channel your inner Poo. Flip your hair. Straighten your spine. And remember: The right kind of love won’t feel like shrinking. It’ll feel like stepping into your power and being met with equal parts awe and adoration. Because the truth is simple, darling. Poo from K3G would never settle. And neither should you.
