Independence
Day
Update:
As
India
celebrates
its
78th
Independence
Day,
actress
Saarvie
Omana
who
is
currently
seen
in
Pyar
Ka
Pehla
Naam
Radha
Mohan
produced
by
Prateek
Sharma
and
Parth
Shah’s
Studio
LSD,
shares
her
thoughts
on
what
this
day
means
to
her
and
how
it
has
evolved
over
the
years.

Reminiscing
about
her
childhood,
Saarvie
recalls
the
excitement
of
waking
up
early
to
watch
the
Independence
Day
program
on
TV.
“In
my
childhood,
we
used
to
wake
up
really
early
so
that
we
could
watch
the
Independence
Day
program
on
TV.
But
now,
I
pray
for
the
safety
of
all
the
soldiers
out
there
and
remember
their
sacrifice
for
us.
Because
of
them,
we
are
safe
and
can
breathe
each
breath
in
a
secure
environment,” she
says,
highlighting
the
shift
in
her
perspective
from
joy
to
reflection
and
gratitude.

When
asked
if
Independence
Day
celebrations
have
become
confined
to
schools
and
colleges,
Saarvie
agrees,
noting
a
stark
difference
in
how
the
day
is
observed
now
compared
to
her
school
days.
“When
we
were
in
school,
Independence
Day
and
Republic
Day
were
celebrated
differently,
and
we
used
to
feel
so
proud
to
be
Indian.
But
as
we
grew
up,
things
changed
a
lot.
Now,
we
only
see
something
on
television
or
some
social
media
sites.
I
think
there
should
be
some
celebration
in
each
and
every
home.
I
remember
my
mom
used
to
cook
special
food
on
these
days,
but
now
it’s
all
childhood
memories
because
there
is
no
such
celebration
except
in
schools
and
colleges,” she
reflects,
calling
for
a
revival
of
those
heartfelt
traditions
within
households.

Saarvie
also
touched
on
the
concept
of
independence
in
the
modern
context,
especially
as
a
woman
in
India.
While
she
considers
herself
independent,
she
acknowledges
that
true
freedom
is
still
elusive
for
many.
“I
am
an
independent
girl,
and
yes,
I
do
feel
independent.
But
when
I
hear
about
incidents
like
rape
and
all,
I
think
we,
as
women,
are
not
yet
independent
enough
to
go
out
of
our
homes
at
any
given
time.
We
or
our
families
feel
unsafe
until
we
come
back
home.
So
independence
doesn’t
just
mean
breathing
freely.
It’s
about
everything.
In
many
places,
women
are
not
independent
enough
to
make
their
own
decisions.
I’m
independent,
but
I’m
sure
so
many
people
out
there
are
still
in
a
cage,” she
says,
urging
a
broader
understanding
of
what
independence
truly
entails.

Further,
she
points
out
that
while
India
has
achieved
political
independence,
the
journey
towards
freedom
of
thought
and
decision-making
is
still
ongoing.
“Yes,
for
sure,
that’s
what
I
just
said.
People
are
not
free
to
make
their
own
decisions.
They
are
not
free
to
talk
about
them.
So
yes,
we
have
a
long
way
to
go,” Saarvie
emphasizes,
echoing
a
sentiment
felt
by
many
across
the
nation.

Finally,
when
asked
about
her
vision
for
a
‘Viksit
Bharat’
or
‘Developed
India,’
Saarvie
chooses
her
words
carefully,
but
underscores
the
importance
of
self-reliance.
“I
don’t
want
to
comment
specifically,
but
yes,
being
self-independent
is
what
people
really
need
to
understand,” she
concludes.