In a recent interview, actor Shahana Goswami spoke candidly about her experience with open relationships and the misconceptions surrounding them. She told Siddharth Kannan, “At this point, I don’t even have one primary partner like that. I have many people with whom I have long-standing dynamics, but it’s not casual. None of it is casual for me. We all have a lot of friends. Every friendship is different.”Explaining how she views connection and commitment, she added, “So for me, at this point, openness means there’s no clear-cut partnership with anyone, but there is this feeling of long-term bonding and connection that stays with you, no matter what form it takes. Sometimes it’s just friendship. Sometimes it might be physical too.”She also addressed the emotional work involved in such relationships, saying, “Actually, that doesn’t happen. I mean, it’s not like I ghost people, but this just doesn’t happen. Because I also know the thing is, when you’re this free, you know, it’s not like this just comes out of nowhere. It’s not something from childhood. Maybe there was some potential leftover from childhood, but to get to this point, you really have to work hard on yourself. It’s not easy. It looks easy from the outside, but you have to deal with your own jealousy.”Reflecting on how others respond to her approach to relationships, she said, “I’m different from anybody else those people have encountered, and I bring out insecurities in others.” She also argued that ideas about possession in relationships are deeply shaped by popular culture, and added, “I always felt that love should be free, that it should not become something that limits or confines the people involved in it.”During the same conversation, Shahana also opened up about her love story with Milind Soman. She revealed that she was “obsessed” with him after watching his film, Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula, at the age of 16 or 17. “During that time, my father had gifted me a cellphone, which was very uncommon to receive at my age. Milind had left his cellphone number on his answering machine. I texted him and wished him on his birthday, and he immediately replied,” she told Siddharth Kannan.However, they spoke properly six years later. “Basically, I was a stalker fan, but whenever I even used to write letters to him, it was me trying to connect with the person. I never wrote I love him like a crazy fan. I moved to Mumbai for college, and we met only three times. We bumped into each other. Six years later, at some point when we both were single, I messaged him, and then we started dating,” she shared.So what actually defines a healthy relationship structure?Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, “A healthy relationship is not defined by whether it is monogamous or open — it is defined by the emotional foundation between the people involved. Psychologically, healthy relationships are built on consent, trust, emotional safety, honesty, mutual respect, and the ability to communicate openly about needs, fears, and boundaries. In both monogamous and open relationships, problems arise when there is secrecy, coercion, manipulation, emotional neglect, or unclear expectations.”Story continues below this adShe adds that open relationships often require even more intentional communication because partners must continuously navigate boundaries, jealousy, attachment, reassurance, and autonomy. Similarly, monogamous relationships are not automatically healthier simply because they are socially accepted. “A relationship becomes psychologically healthy when all individuals feel emotionally secure, respected as individuals, and free to express themselves without fear of shame or punishment. The focus should move away from judging the structure itself and toward understanding whether the dynamic supports emotional well-being, accountability, growth, and genuine connection for everyone involved.”Managing emotions such as jealousy, insecurity, and fear of abandonmentEmotions such as jealousy, insecurity, and fear of abandonment are deeply human responses rooted in attachment, past experiences, self-worth, and our need for emotional safety. Khangarot states that relationships often activate old wounds — fear of being replaced, not being “enough,” losing connection, or being emotionally unseen. These emotions are not signs of failure; they are signals that point toward unmet needs, vulnerabilities, or internal fears that require attention.“What matters psychologically is not whether these emotions arise, but how people respond to them. Healthy navigation involves self-awareness, emotional regulation, honest communication, and the ability to separate assumptions from reality. Instead of controlling a partner or suppressing emotions, individuals benefit from exploring the deeper source of their insecurity, building self-trust, and expressing needs without blame. Relationships that encourage reassurance, transparency, empathy, and accountability create emotional safety,” concludes Khangarot.