Classic Feel-Good Bollywood Rom-Coms From The 2000s To Brighten Your Day

Early 2000s Rom-Coms: ‘Hum Tum’ recently completed 20 years of its release. The news brought a rush of nostalgia for the time when Bollywood gave us feel-good romantic comedies with soft masculine characters and independent women who were not ashamed of their life choices, ready to experience life on their own, not waiting for a hero to have their character development to save the day. 

Hum Tum (2004)

‘Hum Tum’ refused to check in the boxes of the stereotypical romance of ‘love at first sight’ and the idea of only true love. Love fosters a mutually respectful ground with common habits and interests further fueling the process. Karan and Rhea are young and making mistakes flipping the narrative of a mature and another immature partner too.     

Love Aaj Kal (2009)

Imtiaz Ali’s attempt at modern love on screen recently was quite a disaster, but in 2009 with Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, his characters were actually human-like. Jai and Meera were probably the first people to normalize a break-up party and why not? Mutual separations are easy, with equal respect for each other. The leap to follow the ambitions separately again was refreshing without the tinge of guilt posed with it in the movie. 

Jab We Met (2007)

Aditya Kashyap and Geet are poles apart, how can they fall in love? You know how, by allowing someone to walk in, giving space to their perspective on life, and not trying to change them to fit the boxes of “shoulds" and “should not”. ‘Jab We Met’ gave us a hero who was not waging violence, a heroine who did not wait for life to happen to her. 

Salaam Namaste (2005)

While all the red flags in Nick cannot be overlooked, the movie has carved a space in the heart of its audience for the enemies-to-lovers sort tropes, and the progressive (for that time at least) subjects the movie touches upon. Live-in, pregnancy, love - basically everything that’s still a taboo.   

Cheeni Kum (2007)

The warm and witty romance of Buddhadev and Nina may have been labeled ‘unconventional’ with the evident age difference and the difference of personalities, the movie however challenges the restrictive notions of love by kindling the flame of hope to find love at the most unexpected time. 

Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002) 

We love a light-hearted and a little crazy and chaotic love triangle. Raj, Tina, and Pooja are three childhood friends, and when love slowly starts to seep into their friendship, their understanding and affection for each other actually make them realize that love and friendship are not exclusive to each other.

   

Rom-coms like ‘Hum-Tum’ stood the test of time for their progressive character sketches, and thoughtful take on life, love, and relationships. The emotional did not overpower he rational nor did were the feelings bashed with practicality.