Bollywood, the word now associated with fairytale romances and larger-than-life ideas, has been thriving with whistles and claps, with a ‘hero’ and a ‘heroine’ having a happy ending after fighting the ‘villains’ of their lives. As they say, there are two sides to the same coin…there’s a whole other world in Btown – that yearns, smolders, and portrays a heartwrenching story. Giving a taste of reality, some stories leave their melancholy taste after ‘The End.’
One of the recent hits that connected with the audience, 'Saiyaara' will be released on September 12, 2025, on Netflix, after a successful theatrical run. The story revolves around Krish Kapoor and Vaani Batra, who deal with tumultuous highs and lows, including her being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
The hope, the yearning, and the dedication made fans fall in love with the film, creating history with the prolific storytelling. If the genre demands your attention to delve into the somber mix, let’s take a look at Bollywood’s most tragic love stories.
'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'
On the surface of the benevolent friendships, Bhootnath connects with Chhoti Bahu after realising the darker truth of neglect, ambitions, and a house that never became a home. Directed by Abrar Alvi, ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’ portrays the lengths of a person who craves love but is left lovelorn – only because the desires don’t match. While Bhootnath gets his happy ending, it’s impossible not to think about the tragedy that might look shiny from the outside. Starring Guru Dutt, Meena Kumari, and Waheeda Rehman, the film was released in 1962.
'Devdas'
Oh, how families can twist fate and pierce innocent hearts. In Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2002 version, Devdas (
Shah Rukh Khan) and Paro (
Aishwarya Rai) go from being childhood friends to tragedy after he takes a last breath outside her mansion without even completing his dying wish.
Madhuri Dixit's portrayal of Chandramukhi reserved a place in her heart for someone who wasn’t even entirely conscious. The poetic end of love might not make someone stronger, but it surely consumes the minds, and has received applause internationally as well.
'Raanjhanaa'
One of the tragic love stories that even AI had to change the ending for the fans. ‘Raanjhanaa,’ starring Dhanush,
Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol, and Swara Bhaskar, surfaces the idea of desperation turned revenge, and a love bubble that hurts someone when it bursts. Underneath all the religious defiance, the film shows how a person wouldn’t hesitate to start an emotional fire for someone he loves. With a blind childhood love turned darker alongside political ambitions, the Aanand L. Rai film makes a special place in one of the tragic, unrequited love stories of Bollywood.
'Mughal-E-Azam'
In a world full of ‘Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya’ narratives, some tragic stories end with ‘Mohabbat Ki Jhooti Kahaani Pe Roye.’ The iconic story, ‘Mughal-E-Azam,’ showed how people in love would wage a war of the other, but sacrifice their lives as well. Despite knowing the tragic fate, Salim (Dilip Kumar) and Anarkali (Madhubala) share a hope for a peaceful life together in the middle of ruthless consequences. Directed by K. Asif, the 1960 grand film shares a deeper conflict than just a love story between the Prince of the kingdom and a courtesan.
'Rockstar'
The intoxicating love that consumes the souls, Imtiaz Ali’s ‘Rockstar’ gave the modern tragic story, and the unforgettable lyrics that hit hard at 3:00 a.m. From awkwardly proposing in the hope of a heartbreak to being in love so intensely that the hallucinations take over the mind, the story of Heer (Nargis Fakhri) and JJ (
Ranbir Kapoor) aches beautifully. Love gave him fame, ambition, and enlightenment – but her.
'October'
A hopeless romantic who continues to grow his attachment to someone who was in a coma on her deathbed. The poetic representation of his endurance through flowers associated with her (Banita Sandhu) name, ‘Shiuli,’ charged an entirely new layer of tragic hope. Shoojit Sircar’s ‘October’ chronicled a tragic love story of Dan (Varun Dhawan), who saw a character growth from not being able to complete his tasks to someone who put his efforts for an unconscious girl. A slow burn gives a heartbreaking stillness in the tragic film, making it nothing less than iconic.
'Pyaasa'
‘Jane woh kaise log the jinke / pyaar ko pyaar mila / humne toh jab kaliyaan maangi / kaato ka haal mila’ – the profound lyrics that illustrate the entire genre of tragic love stories in a nutshell. The tragic love story might not be about the characters, but the cruel world that makes a man leave his presence. A poet who gains recognition after being falsely declared dead despises the second he receives after going to his memorial by the ones who once rejected him. While Gulabo and Vijay leave the toxic world at the end, the unfulfilled artistic ambitions haunt the remains of their memories.
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