I am always in love, says Monica Dogra

She's the poet in the electro-alternative band Shaa'ir + Func, the debutante in Kiran Rao's Dhobi Ghat, and the sincere if slightly philosophical judge, on The Stage, a televised talent hunt for the country's best singers in English. And now, after having spent close to a decade in the industry, Monica Dogra has finally launched her first solo album titled Spit: untie your tongue and spit your lovin' out. The poet in her has never left the songstress, who is constantly looking for romance in the mundane. Sentimental about her first love, she is still reminded of her high school boyfriend every time she gets a whiff of the Issey Miyake perfume he used to wear. After all, she'd even written a poem about it.

Do you consider yourself to be a romantic?
Yes, I am a die-hard romantic; romance is my life. On a Sunday, even if I'm alone at home, I'll burn some incense, put on some music and enjoy the day. I'm always searching for those moments and attempting to make them sensual and expressive through my poetry.

What does love mean to you?
Love, for me, means being unconditional, accepting someone for who they are and not expecting them to change for you. It's also about being the best friend you could possibly be.

Your idea of an ideal date
I'd like to go bowling and then grab a pizza with someone who has his nose pierced. I know that's pretty specific, but I guess I just know what I like.

Your first heartbreak? How did you get over it?
That was my college boyfriend. I'm not telling you his name. We're not really friends anymore. I decided love wasn't for me after that. It sort of fell from grace for me at that time. When you're young, you idealise love and often that's why you break-up, because it doesn't live up to your expectations. You realise that love is inconvenient, and it is unpredictable.

Tell us about your first love?
It was my first boyfriend. We were both in high school when we started seeing each other. His name was Shantanu Narayan and our parents were friends. We actually dated for a while; three years.

Was it the pain of that heartbreak that turned you into a poet?
Well, I've been a poet ever since I could write. But yes, the pain of that break-up helped me write a lot.

Are you in love at the moment?
I'm always in love. But really, so many people who saw me on The Stage told me that I was flirting with everyone. But that's just who I am. I do fall in love with everyone around me.

How do you know it's love?
I feel love in everything. It can't be quantified. Love could be what you feel for your family, your friends; even hate is love. I'm getting a bit philosophical, but again, that's just me. It's true though; I really think love is the source of everything, even the most unlikely of things such as hate. Either it's love that's the source of the lack thereof.

Do you enjoy celebrating Valentine's Day?
Not really. I think it means a lot to a lot of people and that's beautiful. But I like to think that love extends beyond that one day. Besides, I'm mostly travelling during Valentine's Day and I don't really celebrate it. It's usually that way on New Year's Eve and my birthday too. So, I guess none of these days are particularly special. This year too, I'm working on Valentine's Day. I'll be performing in Bangalore, which means it's going to be day full of love anyway.

Crazy about love
Your favourite romantic films?
I love romantic comedies and I always have. I guess it's pretty common for most emotional women to enjoy rom-coms. It isn't really a comedy, but The Notebook is my absolute favourite. I also love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I like the silly ones too, like Ten Things I Hate About You and Pretty Woman.

Your favourite love songs?
'Howling' by Ame and Dixon and 'Water runs dry' by Boyz II Men.