There is something so undeniably magical about growing up on an Indian rom-com diet. The vibrant colors, the beautiful musical numbers, the over-the-top proclamations of love—it’s a world where feelings are larger than life, and every story feels like it’s riddled with destiny.
Watching Om Shanti Om, when Shah Rukh Khan declares, “Agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho, toh poori kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai” (If you truly desire something from the heart, the entire universe conspires to bring it to you), it’s impossible to not believe in the power of fate and the beauty of undying love. These characters, dialogues, and movies hold a special charm, illustrating love in the most passionate, exaggerated strokes.
That said, rom-coms have a knack for making relationships seem like a nonstop spectacle—an endless carnival of misunderstandings, last-minute sprints to the airport, and dramatic rainfall confessions. The highs are exhilarating, but they rarely explore the quieter, more realistic parts of love. There’s little room for the messy, morally grey moments where people aren’t perfect, but the connection still feels meaningful. For instance, you’d never catch a Bollywood hero stopping mid-chase to ask, “Wait, do we even communicate well?” Instead, he’s too busy somersaulting over cars to prove his devotion.
And let’s talk about the tropes! The brooding hero with a hidden soft side (looking at you, Rahul from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), the fiery love-hate banter (think Aditya and Geet from Jab We Met), and the classic “they’re in love but don’t know it yet” dilemma (Aman orchestrating Naina’s love story in Kal Ho Naa Ho).
These moments are iconic, but they also set us up to expect a kind of love that thrives on dramatics. Sometimes I wonder, why couldn’t the guy just text instead of showing up unannounced at her door with a boombox-level romantic gesture?
Still, I can’t pretend these films didn’t shape me. I’ll forever treasure the way rom-coms celebrate hope and the belief that love conquers all. Sure, some of the ideals are impractical (like a ten-minute rain sequence where no one catches a cold), but there’s a reason we return to them. They’re comforting in their predictability, reassuring us that no matter how chaotic life gets, love will find a way to make it all better.
And honestly, sometimes you need that kind of escapism. When life gets tough, it’s cathartic to watch SRK stand with his arms wide open, telling Simran in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), “Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain” (In big countries like this, such small things happen all the time). It’s a reminder that love, in all its quirks and imperfections, is still worth dreaming about.
So, while I may now approach love with more grounded expectations, I’ll always hold a soft spot for the world where heroes leap off trains, heroines dance under chandeliers, and every love story ends with a dramatic, sweeping embrace. Because let’s be real: sometimes, we all need a little rom-com magic in our lives.