OPINION: Why do we want peak Bollywood rom-com era back so badly?

The recent Hindi rom-coms haven't truly met the standard created by our Bollywood classics. Here's why I think it's time for Bollywood filmmakers to learn from the peak era of rom-coms.

By Krishma Sharma

Updated on Mar 10, 2025 | 04:18 PM IST | 9.2K

Pic Courtesy: Pinkvilla

As much as we love Bollywood's quintessential rom-coms, the paradigm shift in the approach towards modern-day filmmaking has made us miss them even more. First things first, let's admit rom-coms are truly not being made true to their potential as they should be, and a handful of them are not even resonating with the audience. But why?

Being a Bollywood buff, I've grown up watching Kal Ho Naa Ho, Jab We Met, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani (the list can go on and on). Not to make any comparisons, but, hands down, Bollywood's trademark romances are seeming to fade away with time as the romance and our iconic filmmakers have raised the bar way too high. These are the films that made me believe in the beauty of love in the first place.

Not to deny, these movies have spoiled us with some memorable performances, dialogues, and situational comedy packed with soulful music. Every time I crave a light-hearted film, I end up going back to the good old days for the nostalgia they offer.

One could argue that I have a preference for old-fashioned Bollywood romances, but in reality, these movies have helped me see how few truly fantastic rom-coms there are. It is impossible to ignore the excellent work in new-age films like Hasee Toh Phasee, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Badhaai Ho, and Luka Chuppi, but sadly, they are not very common.

It won’t be wrong to say that the majority of our filmmakers have been influenced by South American mass performers. It appears that we have begun to undermine our fundamental ability to offer crazy, innocent romance to the big screen in the name of producing popular "PAN India movies".

Some of the lovely romantic comedies that have been adapted into digital series, such as Mismatched, don't have the same feel as the big screen.

Watching Bollywood rom-coms, I want to witness the cute innocence that Saif Ali Khan had in Hum Tum and Kal Ho Naa Ho. I wish to lose myself in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na's fantasy world. The chemistry and everything iconic about the quintessential rom-coms in modern-day films is lost. The sucker for Hindi films in me is deeply disappointed and frustrated.

On a concluding note, as an avid rom-com lover, with a deep affinity for romance and all things silk sarees and Mohabbatein-coded allure, I simply wish to see our Hindi filmmakers bring back the lost chemistry and everything iconic in modern-day films.