A minor protagonist reshuffle from Aladdin to remind young girls that the only key to unlocking their hidden potential is within them.
Jasmine wakes up every morning, sending love to the world. After she kisses the desert soil with her hands, she gently puts down her legs on to the ground. She knows it is the desert that provides her home, her nourishment and support, grounding her firmly (Arab or Indian, she is grateful for the tasteful, non-bland, cuisine the desert life affords her). She opens her gratitude journal, and pens down everything she feels thankful for this morning, including the shimmer of sunshine that first caught her hazel eyes. She drinks plenty of water and stays hydrated (if she is Arab and this is Dubai, temperatures can go as high as 50 degrees Celsius. PLUS, I don’t know if you got the memo but gorgeous gorgeous girls love coffee water). She looks after her body- those pantaloons are not only cute and stylish but also surprisingly comfy for yoga.
Jasmine doesn’t have time for drama. Jasmine focuses on her goals. She stays true to herself. She does what she loves. She absolutely loves making TikToks, romanticising life with her best friend (Khushboo, if you’re reading this, you give me major Belle vibes!) and learning new languages. She expresses herself creatively. She doesn’t wait for her dream man to just walk into her life (she knows that real life is not the sets of ‘The Bachelor’- I think everyone does leaving aside the cast of ‘The Bachelor’ of course). Instead, she manifests her goals including her relationship with Aladdin. She knows she can only receive what she gives so she makes sure she has all the qualities she’s looking for her in her partner! She knows her worth and appreciates everything about her herself (including her ability to look absolutely breathtaking in every scene despite having just 1 outfit #sustainablefashioninfluencer).
Most of all, she believes in herself and her dreams. She removes time every day to mentor little Jasmines just like herself. Her academy is called ‘BLOOM LIKE A BAWSE’ and is run in collaboration with none other than the G.O.A.T, Lilly Singh herself! (Raise your hand if you want to see this Desi-Arab crossover happen in real life!). P.S. I dare you to find a name more sensational than this-is it not a perfect blend of Jasmine and Lilly both of which are names of flowers, and hence the word bloom-in the off chance that you do, please pitch it to me (no genuinely, please do, I promise I’m not nearly as intimidating as I am coming across right now, its just all the hype from being BAWSE myself) in this and
Need I say, Jasmine is vegan. She doesn’t use her culture as a shining armour to defend her food choices. And in case, you were wondering where she got her eyeliner from-its from LUSH (the one in Agrabah- of course she doesn’t have it shipped internationally #thefutureislocal-duh!)
Jasmine knows what it feels like as a young girl to feel invisible. So she now takes up space. She communicates her needs and wants clearly. She doesn’t expect anyone, including, Aladdin to be mind-readers. She knows how to ask for help when she needs it.
For a long time, she struggled with what power meant to her. She knew it was so much more than her father’s name and her delegated right to throne. But when she turned 21, she realised that her power was the love inside of her- not just the romantic or familial kind, but the love for life itself. And this love was her magic- to others it was what made her wild, yet she knew it was what kept her sane. It lit every cell of her being brighter than the chandelier in her dad’s palace or her to-be husband’s magic lamp and stretched across the physical boundaries of her body, cutting across time and place, more than any magic carpet ever could. Magic can take any form. It can be a magic lamp, or a carpet. But it is you who gives it form and meaning, for it is always inside of you. Jasmine is me. Jasmine is you.
- A tribute to all girls out there, including those from the Southeast Asian Community (and the wider POC community), many of whom felt seen and ‘represented’ for the very first time by Jasmine.
