Reel Love Stories
iView Author: Saurabh Jaiswal (Indore,India)
Email: mail_saurabh3@yahoo.com
Reel Love Stories :
One of the major reasons why we watch cinema is to see our fantasies and our dreams in a visual form and if these fantasies are about a girl or a boy then they probably are closest to our heart . Some of the most successful films in history have been those that had a love story to tell . Though a lot of films have been made in India with a Romantic angle but only few managed to touch my heart and only few out of those are the ones that I am listing here . Since Valentine’s Day is almost round the corner , this is probably the best time to talk about those films . So here goes my list . The list features best of those films that I have watched and doesn’t have old black and white classics .
1. Devdas (2002) : This novel by Sarat Chandra has been adapted on screen many times and this one by Sanjay Leela Bhansali was a grand one . The legendary characters of Dev,Paro and Chandramukhi are both simple and complex , very well illustrating the complications of Love and Relationships . When names like Shah Rukh , Sanjay Bhansali , Madhuri , Aishwarya and Jackie Shroff come together the scale of the film by default becomes large and if it turns out to be most expensive film made till that date then its no surprise . This is probably the last film from India that had some of the most finest Dialogues that have been written apart from the top notch art direction and cinematography . The sets of the film were huge and had something to say themselves . The film was huge in all aspects whether it is the acting of the film or the music and choreography . All the four characters of the film represented different shades of love . Whether it is Dev’s love filled with self pride or Chandramukhi’s self-less love for Dev . It also had Paro’s madness for Dev and Chunnibabu’s carefree attitude towards life . The film’s supporting characters were also very well written and thought of . So even the characters of Dharam Da , Sumitra , Kaushalya and Badi Ma leave an impression on you . It is the sheer genius of Sanjay Leela Bhansali that makes the film grand as well as a treat to watch . SRK gave one of his best performances that left audience in a fix .
2. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) : Aditya Chopra’s first film as a Director and it turned out to be one of the biggest hits of all time . The film started a whole lot of trends including the films being made to cater the NRI audiences . The young and rich Raj who is a playboy falls for a simple studious London based desi girl Simran and then starts the whole journey to get her which brings him back all the way to India . This one was more of a wholesome entertainer than just a love story but still had some great romantic sequences and dialogues that got on to everybody’s tongues for a long time . The film that took SRK to super stardom and made the “jodi” of SRK-Kajol one of the most hit on-screen couples of all time . Aditya made a modern entertainer with a fine pace and having less of those stereotypical situations that every emotional drama in the past had . Everything from the film got popular whether it was scenes like the one where SRK says “Palat – palat” or the way Raj keeps calling simran as Senorita . This one was not an out and out Love story but still Raj and Simran deserve to be in this list for their evergreen freshness .
3. Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981) : Much before ‘Love Actually’ released , a film had conveyed the fact that love has no boundaries and even language and cultural difference can not come in between two lovers . This film released when my dad was in college and I was no where in the picture . He saw it as many as 8 times in the cinema hall and same was the case with every college going guy or girl in those times . Finally when I was old enough to understand love I also watched it and in the same way as my father, I also was charmed by the innocence of Sapna and Vasu . This one also got popular like hell and my mom told me that many couples in those days tried to do what Vasu-Sapna did in the film . The film had a real tragic ending that didn’t go down well with the audience of those days . The chemistry between Kamal Hassan and Rati Agnohotri leaves audience asking for more . Some of the scenes of the film never left me like the one where both Vasu and Sapna keep switching the lights of their rooms on and off . One classic in the romantic genre .
4. Darr (1993) : This film by the king of Romance Yash Chopra showed how one sided love can turn into obsession . Not all the people get Love in return of Love which results in numerous one sided love stories . This film has one such story where love takes an ugly obsessive psychological turn and never gets complete . Yash Chopra and SRK both took a big risk making a psychological film like this one and the risk paid them off heavily . SRK’s stammering k.kk..kkKiran made the film a staggering success . Never in the past a film’s lead hero had a negative character like that of Rahul . SRK managed to generate both hate and sympathy for his character through his fabulous performance . The only Violent love story to receive so much popularity and made SRK a permanent member of the Chopra family .
5. Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) : Sooraj Barjataya’s first film as a director and first of his many blockbusters . This one made Salman a star and gave him his on-screen name “Prem” . The freshness in both Salman and Bhagyashree make people fall in love with them instantly . This film always reminds me of my first crush and how it feels the first time in love . The lines from the film like “Dosti mein no Sorry no Thank You” are fresh as ever and sound more romantic than a I love You . Bhagyashree literally left guys asking for more . The Kabutar song became one of its kind and iconic . Suman and Prem’s story had a happy ending for a change and didn’t left people confused . The story was a typical one but it was the freshness of the actors that made it so popular .
6. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) :This one by Sanjay Leela Bhansali got him a spot among the big wigs of bollywood and made Aishwarya what she is today . This one is among the all time classics and is a true Indian film if you ask me . A true musical love story that had music as an integral part of the story . The characters of Sameer , Nandini and Vanraj equally manage to charm the audience . This film has one of the best Title tracks of all time and the track becomes a very important part of the film coming almost towards the end of the film . Ajay Devgan gives one of his best performances and who can ever forget the scene besides the bridge where Vanraj is drunk and screams Nandini’s name . The scene is one of the best of all times from Indian films . This film is the one that I have watched most number of times from this list and is definitely one of the best of all time .
7. Lamhe (1991) : Yash Chopra has made many romantic films but this is in my opinion his best work till date . A very different love story that didn’t go down well among the audiences of those times and didn’t work at the box office . But still it doesn’t take anything away from the film . Lamhe and Darr both have been written by Honey Irani and strangely these are the only two of Yash Chopra that I like the most . Some films leave a strange feeling in your heart and this film has left an impression on me that is everlasting . It is also one of the first films that I remember to have seen in a theater . Well I was just four when I watched it in theater and didn’t understand it then but still some scenes left a good impression on my young mind . Mostly Yashraj’s film have a larger than life story and are very much like a fantasy . This one on the contrary felt very real and Yash Chopra had given it a completely different treatment . This is one of the best original stories that have been made into a film in India and Anil had given probably the best performance till that date . Its sad that a different story doesn’t succeed in India and this is the reason why popular film makers are always stuck to cliches .
8. Woh Saat Din (1983) : This one has almost a similar story like that of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam but with a slightly different ending . The simple struggling musician tenant Prem Pratap Patialawaala falls in love with the daughter of the owner , Maya , and aspires to become a music director one day . The simplicity and innocence of Anil’s character in this one is very touchy and Anil gave a fine performance considering it was one of his earliest films . The Director ,Bapu, who has made many Telegu films dealt the story in a simple way and preserved the simplicity of characters. Most of the characters in the film are very mature and it is one of the mature love stories . Naseeruddin Shah’s character being the most mature of them all and one of the rare characters on screen that illustrated respect for women more than anything . This one also had a different story and was ahead of its times . Padmini also gave in a fine performance and the chemistry between her and Anil was fabulous .
9. Baton Baton Mein(1979) , Chhoti Si Baat(1975) & Rajnigandha(1974) : These simple romantic entertainers starring Amol Palekar are one of the best despite their their small scale . Vidya Sinha has never looked so beautiful as she did in Chhoti Si Baat and Rajnigandha . These two films are one of its kind and are very close to each other in terms of their story and characters . Both are very entertaining and have many simple realistically romantic situations that will leave you smiling . Amol Palekar played the role of a simple common man very well . All three of them have been Directed by Basu Chatterjee and he knew well how to make a common man’s cinema . I miss such simple and down to earth films these days and no maker or actor attempts to do something like this . I’ve liked Tina Munim only in “Baton Baton Mein” and she looked quite beautiful and also sweetly sexy . These three films are timeless classics and won’t leave their relevance even after a century .
10. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) : This film is another of SRK-Kajol hits that emphasized that under every friendship amongst a guy and a girl lies a deep love for each other . The first film by Karan Johar and it showed college romance in its truest elements and also had shown its more mature form in the second half . This one also like all others of SRK got wildly popular and SRK’s dialogue “Pyaar Dosti Hai” added a whole new meaning to guy-girl friendships . The friendship and love of Rahul , Anjali and Teena started a whole lot of trends including that of the famous “Friendship Bands” .
These are the films that I could recall that I loved . Apart from these I also like films like Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein and Socha Na Tha which are more light hearted romantic entertainers and I don’t know how many times have I seen them . Here’s wishing a happy valentine’s to everyone who read this article .
Tags: Bollywood, darr, devdas, EK DUJE KE LIYE, Hindi, Hum Dil de chuke sanam, Lamhe, love Stories, Maine Pyaar Kiya
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Love stories ki baat ho rahi ho aur usme “Qayamat se Qayamat tak “, “Sathiya”, “Socha na Tha” ki baat na ho….baat kuch hajam nahi hui….khair apni apni pasand ki baat hai. Saurav watch Dev D once, this is also a Love story and better than some your listed all time best.
Many more good movies are missing man..Qayamat Se Qayamat tak, Kabhi haan Kabhi Naa , Rangeela were far better than Kuch Kuch Hota hai. Even a gangster movie like satya had a fine love story in it.
Hi rajeev, thanx 4 reading n commenting and I agree that QSQT and Saathiya are also good but then there many others also ..I’ve still mentioned Socha Na Tha and RHTDM towards the end that I absolutely adore .
Devdas,Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Kuch kUCH hOTA hai.
Seriously man you need to get life.
Cinemausher : Why don’t you give him a slice of your own?
Saurav : As Rajeev said…apni apni pasand. But I guess I can’t do without giving out a few names that would’ve been there had I written this.
Kabhie Kabhie, Abhimaan, Koshish, Asli-Naqli (the old one with Dev Anand), Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Madhumati. There are many more but then…
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was nothing but an expensive rehash of woh saat din,surely not not amongst the best movies but one of the best soundtracks I have heard.
Jab We Met was good in recent times.
Saurabh
The films you mentioned might not be on the my list of top romantic films.But then everybody has its perspective. here what touched me
Pyasa-nothing beats it-(not even the most romantic “color” film)
Nuovo cinema Paradiso
Silsila-Yash Chopra wali
Chungking Express
Annie Hall
Once
Sadma-Balu Mahendra wali
Yeopgijeogin geunyeo-or My sassy girl
Thanx a lot to the above people for reading and commenting on my post . Well , even I have not mentioned all them , there are just so many . Some I have not included in the list just bcoz of the fact that they had much of the other things in the plot apart from the love story .
And unfortunately I have not seen the old black n white classics like Pyaasa ,Kaagaz ke Phool, Paakezah etc. and one more thing , I’ve not included the foreign cinema in this list and only talked of Indian films .