Beyond roses and rain: Films that revolutionised romance in Bollywood

Bobby was a game-changer—it introduced youthful, modern love to Bollywood, something largely unexplored in the mainstream before. Raj Kapoor crafted a fresh story where teenage love bloomed across class lines. With its vibrant energy, disco aesthetics, and innocent defiance, the film broke the norm of older, mature romances and opened the gates to the teen-love genre.

Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se was a haunting take on love set against the backdrop of terrorism and insurgency. Unlike the feel-good romances of the 90s, this one showed love as obsessive, layered, and tragic. Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala’s chemistry was magnetic, and A.R. Rahman’s music intensified the emotional complexity. It wasn’t mainstream romance—it was dangerous, poetic, and daring.

DDLJ didn’t just change how Bollywood portrayed love—it redefined the cultural perception of romance for Indian youth, both in India and the diaspora. Raj and Simran’s love story married tradition with rebellion. Instead of eloping, they waited for family approval, creating a “sanskaar meets romance” formula that Bollywood would emulate for years. Raj’s charm, mustard fields, and the Swiss alps became eternal symbols of Bollywood romance.

Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met made falling in love with yourself as important as falling in love with someone else. Geet and Aditya’s story was less about grand declarations and more about emotional evolution. Their romance felt real—built on conversations, breakdowns, and rediscovering life. It reshaped modern Bollywood romance by showing love as a journey, not just a destination.

Romance had been explored in earlier Indian films, but Mughal-e-Azam made it operatic. The tragic love story of Prince Salim and courtesan Anarkali was infused with grandeur, rebellion, and poetry. Its iconic dialogues—“Pyar kiya toh darna kya”—echoed a rare defiance in love, especially for a film of that era. The idea that love could challenge power and class created a legacy that romance films aspired to for decades.

Often dubbed as the Romeo & Juliet of Bollywood, Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla’s QSQT revived tragic romance for a new generation. It was raw, passionate, and brimming with youthful angst. The film didn’t shy away from showing the consequences of family feuds, yet romanticized the idea of dying for love—setting a blueprint for 90s love sagas.

Ranbir Kapoor’s Rockstar is not your typical love story—it’s about the destructive power of passion. The film turned love into a source of both inspiration and ruin. It redefined romantic longing with themes of artistic angst, unfulfilled desires, and emotional chaos. For a generation disillusioned with fairy-tale endings, Rockstar offered something painfully honest.

If Jab We Met was about loving yourself, Tamasha took it deeper—asking if love can exist without identity. Imtiaz Ali’s abstract, layered storytelling told us that true romance begins once you remove the mask. The movie wasn’t just about Ved and Tara—it was about breaking free from society’s script and discovering authenticity in love. A cult favourite, Tamasha continues to inspire think-piece romances.