With Mohit Suri’s ‘Saiyaara’ (2025) bringing romance back to the big screen and Anurag Basu’s ‘Metro In Dino’ (2025) offering a refreshing take on love, movie-goers are in for a treat this year.
Romantic films have always been the heartbeat of Bollywood, and generations continue to believe in the magic of love, as if taken back to the time Shah Rukh Khan introduced us to, “Pyaar dosti hai” (Love is friendship).
In the recent past, Bollywood screens seemed drenched in blood, sweat, and high-octane stunts. ‘Pushpa’ (2024), ‘KGF’ (2022), ‘Pathaan’ (2023), ‘Jawan’ (2023), ‘Jailer’ (2023), ‘Marco’ (2024)- action heroes smashed cars, while dark thrillers pulled us into their twisted worlds. But just when it seemed love stories had lost their sheen, along came a fresh breeze of romance, whispering back into theatres.
‘Metro In Dino’, and now ‘Param Sundari’, filmmakers are dusting off the roses, violins, and stolen glances, proving that the magic of love still sells, and perhaps more importantly, still heals.
Director Tushar Jalota, gearing up to bring a heartfelt love story to the big screen with , echoed the sentiment, saying that love stories have never faded from cinema, and this concoction works well if presented well on the big screen.
While talking to IndiaToday.in, he said, “I don’t think romance ever truly went away; it just evolved with changing times and sensibilities. If there is a pure, heartfelt emotion that connects instantly, then the audience will grab it up nicely. When you speak from the heart, it resonates with everyone. And that’s what our intention has always been. So, yes, I feel romance is not just making a comeback, but it’s being rediscovered in a new light.”
Jalota added that with ‘Param Sundari’, he wanted to bring back that innocence and intensity of the time we all grew up watching. “I wanted to present that with a freshness that speaks to today’s generation. Sidharth and Janhvi embody that chemistry beautifully, and the music plays a huge part in evoking nostalgia while still sounding fresh and new age,” he said.
While action and thrillers may come and go, for many artistes, romance remains the soul of cinema.
Meanwhile, actor Pankaj Tripathi feels romance has always been Bollywood’s old-school charm, and its ultimate USP.
In a candid reflection, Pankaj Tripathi, who played a middle-aged man navigating marital strain in ‘Metro In Dino’, spoke to IndiaToday.in about how love on screen and in life is far more than just dreamy gestures and dramatic confessions.
“Romance has always been evergreen. Love and affection have always found their place on the big screen. What truly matters is the story. It has to connect with people. If told the right way, romance appeals to everyone. In our film ‘Metro In Dino’, for instance, love was shown across different age groups, and that’s what made it special,” Pankaj said.
Given his popular films and shows like ‘Mirzapur’ (2018), ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ (2012), and ‘Stree’ (2018), when asked his definition of romance, the actor said that giving flowers to his wife is definitely not his style. “I am quite romantic, and my way of expressing love has its own charm. There’s even a little bit of socialism in my romance,” he said with a laugh.
So what sparked this return of romance? Is it the audience’s craving for warmth after years of intensity? A cultural shift back to emotional storytelling? Or simply nostalgia pulling at the industry’s heartstrings?
Actor Rohan Gurbaxani, who has been a part of a string of romantic films like ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ (2023), ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’ (2023) and ‘Metro in Dino’, among others, believes that the resurgence of romance on the big screen isn’t just about revisiting a genre but about rediscovering the craft of filmmaking. For him, it’s the perfect harmony of all cinematic elements that truly makes love stories resonate with audiences.
“Romantic films have been there for a long time, but I think this is a wave that has been much-awaited, a wave of cinema, where the five elements need to come together, which is what we saw in ‘Saiyaara’, which is acting, direction, music, editing, and writing. When those five elements are in tandem and have been displayed to the best of the filmmakers’ abilities, the actors, everyone involved, and then there is some synergy that comes around and that touches audiences. It’s not that it is a set formula, but I think that is what it takes now for a film to touch audiences,” Rohan told IndiaToday.in.
The success of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s ‘Saiyaara’, for instance, was a game-changer. It proved that a well-crafted, soulful love story, even with a cast of relative newcomers, could break box office records.
This success has sent a clear message to filmmakers and producers: the audience is hungry for romance. But this isn’t just a rehash of the old-school formula. The new wave of love stories is more mature, nuanced, and reflective of modern-day relationships.
Now, the question is, is this a fleeting moment of nostalgia or the dawn of a new, love-filled era?
Rohit Jaiswal, a leading trade analyst, broke down why romance continues to hold an irreplaceable place in Indian cinema, despite the dominance of action-packed blockbusters in recent years. The genre’s timeless appeal lies not just in emotions but also in the power of music and storytelling.
“Love stories were, are, and will always remain the top choice for audiences. Yes, action films may grab the yearly limelight and earn bigger numbers at the box office, but the romance genre stands unmatched. It requires comparatively lower budgets, carries lesser risk, and if done right, leaves a lasting impact,” Jaiswal told us.
What caused the earlier drop in love stories?
Jaiswal explained: “The real issue over the past few years was that Bollywood audiences leaned more towards South content, which predominantly focused on action. Bollywood followed this trend, chasing box office numbers through high-octane action films. That worked for a while, but audiences are now fatigued.”
He concluded with conviction that no matter what, love stories will always shine at the box office. “No matter how much one fights, argues, or revels in action, life is incomplete without love.”
Producer Anand Pandit, who has bankrolled films like ‘Big Bull’ (2021), ‘Chehre’ (2021) and ‘Thank God’ (2022), believes that Indian audience have always been a sucker for romantic films. Given the era of digital connections and emotional disconnection, the producer stated that the increase in the demand for Korean shows clearly reflected on changing audience’s tastes and the timeless appeal of love stories.
“Everything is cyclical, I guess. In the era of digital connections and emotional disconnection, people are craving heartwarming stories that fill a void and feel organic. Love, as the adage goes, is a universal emotion, and this explains the popularity of K dramas. Every generation has grown up with iconic love stories like ‘Awara’, ‘Pakeezah’, ‘Mughal-E-Azam’, ‘Bobby’, ‘Ek Duje Ke Liye,’ and many more, and I don’t think the allure of romance will ever fade,” Pandit told us.
He added that the re-releases of popular classics speak volumes about the trend.
As filmmakers still search for the perfect recipe for a love story that works on the big screen, director Vivek Agnihotri, known for his candid takes on the industry, shared his perspective on the current state of romance in Bollywood. He emphasised the lack of young actors as a key challenge for love stories today and admitted with refreshing honesty why he may not venture into the genre.
“I think we should thank God for who came in ‘Saiyaara’. Right now, most actors doing films are over 60. You need young blood for romantic films,” he said in an interview with IndiaToday.in.”
However, the 51-year-old filmmaker added that he is not capable of making a love story even if given a chance and is happy with whatever projects he is onto.
The fate of love stories rests on the shoulders of new-age creators. The audience has opened its heart, and the box office has shown its love. As long as filmmakers continue to tell stories that resonate with honesty, sincerity, and a touch of magic, the saga of cinematic love will continue to unfold, one beautifully crafted frame at a time.
Because, in the end, love, in all its forms, will always find its way back to the screen!