Love Blooms Again In Bollywood

It’s raining romances in Bollywood. Come July, Hindi films will woo audiences to fall in love again – a change from the testosterone-fuelled action that has been dominating screens of late. The month has four major romantic releases lined up, the first being Anurag Basu’s multi-starrer Metro… In Dino, an anthology of love stories featuring Aditya Roy Kapur, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Sara Ali Khan.

Shanaya Kapoor finally makes her long-delayed but much-anticipated debut opposite Vikrant Massey in Aankhon Ki Gustakhiyan. This will be followed by Ananya Panday’s cousin Ahaan’s debut in Yash Raj Films’ Saiyaara, and Janhvi Kapoor teams up with Sidharth Malhotra in Param Sundari.

Filmmaker Nupur Asthana references novelist Henry Miller: “The only thing we never get enough of is love, and the only thing we never give enough of is love.” She elaborates, “It’s such a powerful emotion that it naturally lends itself to infinite stories. In our movies, love was an overriding theme for decades. Then, we gained the freedom to explore other genres — action, thrillers, psychological dramas, some really dark stuff that audiences lapped up. Now, we seem ready to strike a balance by brining back love stories. In a world gripped by war, strife, hunger and political greed, what is the one emotion that can offer succour, relief, and warmth? It’s love. No wonder so many romantic films are being made, and older ones are getting re-released.”

Unfortunately, some of these new-age films have struggled. Loveyapa failed to impress, while Nadaaniyan received scathing reviews.

One exhibitor attributes this to the absence of iconic on-screen jodis. “Sometimes romance is synonymous with the lead pair representing it on screen. To this day, Shah Rukh and Kajol remain inseparable from the image of Rahul and Simran in DDLJ. They continued starring in films together, and audiences flocked to theatres just to fall in love with them again. Recently, Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor emerged as a favourite pairing. The last true-blue Bollywood romance was probably Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, where Alia and Ranveer recreated retro charm with a modern twist. But today’s actors are so overexposed on social media that audiences can’t quite see them as dreamboats anymore.”

Film analyst Girish Wankhede says: “The changing landscape, the rise of OTT platforms, and the globalization of content have brought a surge in thrillers, crime dramas and action spectacles. Films like Pushpa, KGF, Jawan, and Pathaan have dominated the box office. Streaming platforms have become home to gritty narratives, and that shift has led to a decline in the production and popularity of romantic films. Filmmakers are simply following the money.”

Still, some actors and writers are voicing concerns that Bollywood has forgotten how to make feel-good romances. Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, who starred in The Royals, have been vocal about the decline of the genre. Bhumi remarked, “In the ’90s, most of our superstars built their careers on the foundation of romantic films. Today, the genre isn’t taken seriously. It’s not easy to convince an audience that you’re in love with a stranger. It’s tough acting and even tougher writing. I don’t know why more people aren’t writing them, but I believe genres have seasons. Hopefully, the season of love is making a comeback.”

It seems Bollywood has taken that advice seriously. A slew of romantic dramas is in the works, including Triptii Dimri’s Dhadak 2, Janhvi Kapoor and Varun Dhawan’s Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, and the yet-untitled Kartik Aaryan–Sreeleela film, slated to be released on Valentine’s Day, 2026.