Saurabh Shukla on love and honesty: ‘Hiding creates a deeper sense of betrayal’

Mumbai— National Award-winning actor and filmmaker Saurabh Shukla believes that honesty is the foundation of any meaningful relationship, especially in matters of love.

Speaking about the idea of being a “khuli kitaab” — or an open book — in a relationship, Shukla emphasized that concealing the truth often causes more harm than the truth itself.

“You should not hide things — at least, that’s what I believe,” he said while discussing his latest film, Jab Khuli Kitaab. “The problem with hiding is that when the truth eventually comes out, it creates a feeling of betrayal. I’ve observed this very closely and understood it time and again.”

According to him, the real pain in such situations is not always about the act itself, but about being left in the dark.

“It’s not just what happened — it’s the fact that you weren’t told. That becomes the bigger betrayal,” he explained. “It makes you question everything. You start feeling that your partner didn’t trust you enough to understand, and that hurts more.”

Shukla stressed that openness strengthens relationships by allowing partners to truly know each other — flaws and all.

“Ideally, a relationship should be one where you can be completely open,” he said.

Reflecting on the interplay between love and truth, he recalled a line by the 13th-century poet Rumi: “Light always enters through the crack in the wall.”

Expanding on this idea, Shukla connected it to the narrative of his film. “In the story, a couple seems to have a perfect life — like a solid wall with no cracks. Then a truth emerges, and everything breaks. But through that crack, light enters. The truth illuminates everything.”

He added that once everything is laid bare, relationships can evolve into something more authentic.

“When the truth comes out, there’s nothing left to hide. You begin to see your partner fully — the good and the flawed,” he said. “And if you still choose to stay together after knowing everything, that’s when a relationship becomes truly honest.”

According to Shukla, it is this raw honesty that ultimately reshapes love itself.

“There’s nothing left unsaid. And that’s what the couple discovers — their love finds a new meaning.” (Source: IANS)